Chance Encounters
by CherrieBlossom73
Summary: Hinata has strayed from the shy, intimidated kunoichi she once was. Even though she admires Naruto she no longer strives to gain his affection. When training alone one day something unexpected happens and she is faced with a decision. Now that she's a full grown woman with a mind of her own, she knows the consequences. The question is: will it stop her from making the right choice?
1. Chapter 1

"Just a few more." Hinata exhaled deeply to regain her strength. She concentrated all of her energy into her hands, which were displayed in front of her ready to attack. Her eyes, veins protruding from her temples, were focused on the tree before her. With a deep breath Hinata struck the tree in its center. Moving at high speed, Hinata struck the tree in different places, hitting it at its weak points. She did this every day, moving quicker and quicker and attacking stronger and stronger.

Hinata stood upright, dropping her hands to her sides and letting her eyes return to normal. She smiled inwardly at herself, proud that she had gotten through another day's training. Today made day five of her scheduled training and it was an accomplished five days. She felt like she had gotten a lot stronger since she started, like her energy was more balanced and she could sense things more easily.

As if on cue, Hinata sensed someone nearby. She honed in on the energy the person was giving off, trying to decipher who it was. Her hair stood on the back of her neck when she recognized who the energy belonged to. Quickly, she turned toward the direction she knew he was in and got back into her fighting stance. Her Byakugan was activated and helped her search through the trees and bushes till her eyes landed on his figure.

Years ago, Hinata would have run for help because she knew she couldn't take him on all by herself. She wasn't strong enough, physically, to take on a criminal of that rank. Would she have tried to? Sure, as stubborn and strong-willed as she was she would have fought with every ounce of energy in her body. She wouldn't have won, though. But that was years ago. Hinata grew up, learned a lot, and she had gotten a lot stronger. Even Neji acknowledged how much power she had gained, he even started to consider her as an equal. Something inside Hinata opened when Neji recognized her as his equal and made her want to train even harder to keep his words true. So she had. And now it seemed like all her work was about to pay off.

As Hinata waited for the man to appear, she could very quickly sense that something was wrong. She knew he knew she was there, and he knew she knew he was there. The only thing between them was distance marked with a few trees. So why wasn't he attacking? Hinata looked around but found no other source of chakra; he was alone. It was unusual for an Akatsuki member to come alone, they generally came in pairs. Unless the rules had changed, something was definitely wrong.

She watched the figure and realized he was slumped against a tree, his chakra was fading gradually. _He must be hurt._ Hinata wondered where he came from and what he had done to wind up in this very forest, alone and injured. If he was injured then that meant somebody from the Leaf village knew he was here and had already taken care of the situation but he had escaped. Therefore, since Hinata found him she would have to finish the job.

Not wanting to waste another moment, Hinata jumped into a tree and made her way toward the man, all the while keeping her eyes trained on him.

~W~

Blood covered his entire torso and he could barely keep his eyes open. His face was pale; his hair matted and stuck to his cheeks. If he didn't do something soon he would die, and it sure as hell was not his time yet. He could sense someone nearby; he had spotted him and was on his way toward him. With his luck it'd be his little brother, come to finish him off. That'd be a cheap way to go, huh? He grinned at the thought but it faded quickly. If he was going to die he'd die on his own terms, not because of his brother or the fuckers that did this to him. He wasn't going to die, not tonight.

He was slumped heavily against the bark of a tree; it was the only thing holding him up. His legs shook from the weight of his body and he felt like he was going to collapse any second. He coughed into his hand and found blood in his palm. He cursed inwardly, trying to take a step forward. Pain shot through his lower right side and he grunted, gripping his side.

 _Fucking assholes._

With his pain in his mind he nearly forgot about the person coming toward him. He tried to take another step forward but the pain made him stop. He couldn't get away if he tried, and even if he could, hiding was not his way of doing things. He knew one thing and one thing only: he wasn't going to die tonight, and the person after him was going to make sure of that.

~W~

She was above him now and could easily make out that he was Itachi Uchiha. Out of all the members in the Akatsuki Itachi was the most notorious for the Leaf village. It was his home and he was the cause of Sasuke's rebellion. Because of him they had lost the last two Uchiha members and caused a lot of problems. Hinata could tell Itachi wasn't able to fight, but he always had a trick up his sleeve no matter what. Despite his weak appearance she wouldn't let her guard down.

She jumped down in front of him and thought something looked off. Yes, he was badly injured and could barely stand up, but there was something askew. His cloak was gone, and looking closer, so was his ring. Hinata watched him with careful eyes, her mind suddenly racing. This could be a trap to get her closer to him. If it was she had already let her guard down. But she had scanned the area and found nobody with her. What if it was an illusion to lure her out here? She bit her lip like she always did when she was nervous. Itachi coughed again, jerking her out of her thoughts.

"What are you doing here, Itachi?" Hinata felt dumb for asking him a question when she should really be getting help. She didn't know what else to do, though. It felt wrong to just blatantly attack an already injured person. That would be kicking him when he's down, and Hinata felt like that wasn't necessary. _But he's a criminal,_ her conscience chimed in. So what? That didn't justify her killing a weak person. _He's not weak; he's very much capable of killing you. You're letting your guard down!_

Hinata cursed under her breath and tried to focus. The main thing was figuring out why he was here and who had injured him so badly. If she could figure that out then she could go from there.

His back was against the tree and his eyes were closed. She watched his chest rise and fall in slow, deep breaths. Blood stained his black clothes and specks of blood marked his face.

It took him a few minutes to speak but when he finally did his voice was hoarse and she had to lean in to hear him. "I didn't come here on my own."

Immediately, Hinata charged at Itachi and held a kunai against his throat. His breath hit her face as their eyes met. His were weak, black and droopy. He fell forward onto her and she pushed him against the tree. If Hinata's guard wasn't up she would admit that this felt awkward, but right now she needed answers.

"Who are you here with?"

His eyes drew closed and she shook him to wake him up. She repeated her question and this time he mumbled something incoherently. Something was definitely wrong and Hinata didn't know what to do. Obviously, Itachi wasn't in any shape to commence a fight. So he wasn't any danger to anyone so Hinata didn't need to worry about that. What she did worry about, though was who else was here with him.

"Who did this to you, Itachi?"

She put her ear close to his mouth so she could hear him. Thankfully, he spoke clearly this time. "Akatsuki."

Her eyes widened in shock and she thought she misheard. He coughed and grunted in pain. Hinata was at a crossroads. If she helped him that would be helping a criminal and she would get in big trouble for it. However, Hinata was of reasonable mind and could tell he was not dangerous. _He's not dangerous right now, that is._ She bit her lip, thinking of her options. She looked down at him and saw his wound; it was not going to heal without proper help.

Sticking her kunai back in her pouch, Hinata took off her sweater and tied it around Itachi's waist and knotted it to help stop the bleeding. She knew she was strong but she didn't know how strong she was and was unsure if she could successfully carry Itachi. Not seeing any other option, Hinata slung his arm over her shoulder and lifted him onto her back. He grunted and his weight fell on top of her. A man of his size was heavy but Hinata figured she could make it to her place without any difficulty.

The only problem was getting there unnoticed. She looked up at the sky and saw the sun was already descending. That meant people were either home or on their way home and the streets would be empty. She just had to wait, but she didn't know how long Itachi had left. Cursed with decisions, Hinata chewed on her lower lip in concentration. There was a river not far from there and if she could get him there, clean his wound and apply some healing chakra to it, the sun will have gone down by then and she could make it home without anybody noticing.

With a plan in mind Hinata raced toward the river, gripping Itachi firmly so he wouldn't fall off. When she got there she set him down gently against a tree and undid her sweater around his waist. The pressure of the knot seemed to have stopped some of the bleeding but not all of it. Gently, Hinata lifted up his shirt and found the wound was even bigger than she had imagined. Grimacing, she dabbed at the wound gently to wipe off the access blood. Dipping part of the sweater in the river helped to clean him off and show the wound more clearly.

Thanks to Sakura's help, she had learned a simple healing technique for minor wounds. She didn't know how much this would help on a wound of this stature but she had to try. She also had to do it quickly in case anyone stumbled upon them. Pressed for time, Hinata channeled her chakra into her palms and began to heal his wound. She watched his face every couple of seconds to see if he would awaken but he remained unconscious. When she thought she could do no more, she stopped to assess her work. The wound stopped bleeding and seemed to healed but not completely. He would need time, and that worried Hinata.

With the night upon them, Hinata lifted Itachi onto her back and made her way home. Thankfully, her friends were off on a mission and nobody was out on the streets. She prayed nobody could sense Itachi's chakra as she opened the door to her home. She laid him on her bed after putting a sheet down in case he started to bleed again. She took his shirt off, wiped his torso and face with a wet washcloth and put a class of cold water on the night stand in case he woke up. His hair had fallen out of his pony tail and was spread on the pillow. Hinata watched him sleep for a second and couldn't help but decide he looked peaceful. She wondered how a man who looked so serene in his sleep could be so dangerous.

A/N: I changed the plot to this story, not drastically, but it's easier on me because Itachi fighting all members of the Akatsuki requires way too much work. So I deleted the parts about revenge. If you see anything about revenge on the Akatsuki, just ignore it. Sorry for the inconvenience.


	2. Chapter 2

He was having a bad dream. One he couldn't get out of. He didn't normally have bad dreams, he didn't even know if he had dreams to begin with. But what he was going through right now bordered on the lines of a nightmare. The only reason he didn't define it as such was because of his pride. Nothing scared him or chased him away; he was the one doing the chasing in the nightmares. He was the one causing the fear and trepidation into the hearts of others. It's not that he got off on it, he even felt sorry for doing it sometimes but he couldn't help it. People were naturally afraid of him, and he didn't blame them. With all the shit he'd done in his life he was surprised he wasn't placed on the death penalty. But then again, one had to be caught to be put on the death penalty.

All Itachi could see in the distance was utter darkness. His sharingan didn't work and he felt naked despite his clothing. It was his lack of chakra that made him feel like he was stripped bare; naked to the bone. Where had it all gone? Itachi pondered the reason for being afraid at this very moment. Yes, he was without chakra and his natural power, but that didn't scare him. There was something deeper, a reason for his wanting, _needing_ to run from whatever was chasing him. He tried to turn his head and catch of glimpse of what it could be but his head wouldn't turn. He had no control over his body and it struck him then. Maybe that was what he was afraid of. Not being in control. Itachi Uchiha was always in control, even when given orders he remained in control. Because it was how you handled the orders that made you in control. The way you do the things you're set out to do put you in the driver's seat. And he had always been the driver, that's the way it always was and the way it will be.

Despite that, Itachi was not in control at this very moment. He felt something coming, an onslaught of something huge and foreign. His heart rate quickened, his legs pumped faster. It was coming down on him, a huge pressure descending from the darkness. He closed his eyes as he felt the _thing_ right behind him…

~W~

He woke up to a bright light and something touching his ribs, which was rather annoying seeing as it made him flinch in pain. He waited for his eyes to adjust to the harsh sunlight before he took in his surroundings. The dream he just experienced lingered in his mind, like mist in an empty forest. He recalled the empty, sagging feeling in the pit of his stomach that he had felt in his dream and wondered what could cause such fear. Especially in him. It was so strange for him to have such a vivid dream that caused such confusion. It was worse that he would never know what the dream was about or know what happened.

"How are you feeling?"

Itachi made his eyes follow the sound of the voice until they landed on a dark blue haired woman staring at him. She held a wet washcloth, now stained with blood. He looked down at his stomach where he had gotten injured and was surprised by how clean it looked. This woman did a good job and Itachi wondered if she was a medic. What a coincidence that would be, eh?

"You healed my wound?" He inquired, meeting her gaze once again.

She nodded and dabbed at the wound gingerly so as not to hurt him. He watched her closely. She was very gentle with how she touched him, about how she did all things actually. The way she brushed the hair back out of her eyes, how she moved; he had yet to hear her voice.

"What is your name?"

She looked at him, something lurking beneath her lavender eyes. "Hyuga, Hinata."

Though he did not ask for her entire name, he was glad she gave it. "You are from the Hyuga clan." The Hyuga clan was the second strongest clan in the village, next to the Uchiha clan. Now, Itachi guessed, they were the strongest clan in the village. This woman was strong, he could sense that. She held herself with confidence and moved as such. But he also could feel how fragile she was with the way she touched things. As if they were going to break. Itachi would have to be careful otherwise there might be problems.

"Yes, I am. And you are from the Uchiha clan, Itachi." Her eyes leveled with his. She did not seem angered or upset, maybe cautious. How it was she knew his name was unimportant, he was not a hard one to forget.

"What are you doing here, Itachi?"

Itachi pondered how best to answer that question. What w _as_ he doing here? He did not come here of his own accord, that was for sure. But he could not tell this woman what she wanted to know, and that was the truth. Because the truth was he had no idea what he was doing here, and that scared him. It was rare for him to be scared and something as menial as being lost in the woods shouldn't scare him, but it did. If you didn't know what the hell you were doing in life, wouldn't you be scared? Finding yourself bleeding to death in the woods with no ounce of power in you to change fate is terrifying as hell, Itachi admitted. Things were changing, hell they already _have_ changed. Itachi didn't like change, never did. When it did happen, though, he coped with it and made the best of it. That's just what you had to do because that's how life worked. And now, Itachi assumed, swallowing past a dry throat, he would have to make the best of this change as well.

He looked up at Hinata, her gentle expression like an angel in the sunlight. Her beauty was clear and she had as much grace as a feline. If things were different he would probably look at her in a certain way, a certain light. She was kind hearted and open minded, that much he already knew from their encounter. If he wasn't careful, things might just get to a level of complicated before he knew it. Sitting up, which hurt like a mother, he took Hinata's hand that was holding the washcloth. She did not jerk, or flinch or try to flee from him and Itachi had to admit: it was nice. He didn't have much contact with others, women specifically, and those he did touch they weren't exactly on the willing side. That's not to say he raped women, he would never treat women with such ferocity and disrespect. But there were times when orders required certain amounts of force in order to get things done, and Itachi did what he had to do. How many people had he killed? Well that was a question for another day.

Looking into the gentle eyes of the woman who saved him he said, "Thank you, Hinata. Without you I would not be alive right now. I know you taking me in is a risk for you and I am deeply, deeply grateful."

~W~

Hinata was confused at the actions of Itachi. He was an S-class criminal who killed his own family, yet here he was thanking her for saving his life. Not to mention the fact that he was holding her hand and looking at her in a way that made her feel too conspicuous for her own good. Maybe nearly dying has given him a change of heart. Hinata knew her eyes would be opened if she was on the brink of death.

Smiling, Hinata withdrew her hand from his hold, "You're welcome."

She looked down at his stomach, checking his injury. Her hair fell forward and touched the skin of his stomach. She pushed it back behind her ear. "I don't have much medical training but I did the best I could with healing your wound. It's not completely healed so don't make any sudden movements or you might start the bleeding again. It should be fully healed in a day or two, so you can stay here and rest until you're better."

"I'm putting you in danger here. If anyone finds me in your home I will be taken and you will be punished. I can't have that."

Hinata knew that. They could both get in serious trouble if someone were to come by or sense his chakra. It would only be a matter of minutes until they were at the mercy of Lady Tsunade. But still, Hinata didn't feel right just letting him leave. He could barely manage to sit up. Her conscience told her he could take care of himself, seeing as he left and joined the Akatsuki at such a young age. But Hinata felt it would be wrong, something in her gut told her to make him stay until he was better.

"If you mask your chakra while you're here nobody will find out. Nobody comes here so you don't have to worry about that." Hinata's eyes dropped when she said that and Itachi caught it. She was lonely, he realized.

"I don't want to intrude. You've done enough already and I can't thank you enough."

"You can thank me by getting your rest and staying here until you've healed."

Itachi smirked, she was a smart one. He exhaled, settling back in his pillows. "Do you have anything to eat? I'm famished."


	3. Chapter 3

Hinata opened her bedroom door and peeked inside, wondering how the Uchiha was holding up. He was sleeping soundly on his back, barely snoring. Quietly, Hinata tiptoed in the room, wanting to check if his bandages needed changing. Hinata couldn't help taking glances at Itachi. He was handsome, she thought, noticing the clearness of his skin and the strong jaw line.

Seeing Itachi in her bed made her mind reel. So many thoughts of different varieties cascaded like waves upon her conscience. The first being the most obvious: there was a member of the Akatsuki in her bed. This fact both scared her and, and what? Hinata felt something along the lines of giddiness, like a little girl who had done something naughty that she would knowingly get punished for. Only the consequences of this wouldn't be something as simple as a slap on the wrist and dinner with no dessert. The consequences of taking him in were beyond her imagination. Hinata took a deep breath to help ease her stomach. It didn't matter what happened, she told herself. If Itachi was found in the village under her roof she'd accept the consequences. It was her choice to take him in and help him, it was a choice based on her intuition and nine times out of ten her intuition was right.

The other thoughts, less frightening and more unbelievable came to the surface. This whole situation was unreal and so wrong on so many levels; did Itachi do something to piss off the Akatsuki? If so, what was it and would they come looking for him? That would cause a whole other level of problems if they found him here, and Hinata didn't want to think of that.

Bubbling to the surface, a more feminine realization occurred to her. The eldest Uchiha heir was sleeping right next to her, in _her_ room, in _her_ bed. She hadn't ever had a guy in her bed before, fatally injured or not. This man was dangerous and, Hinata blushed as the thought came across, he was dangerously sexy. He was a very attractive guy and his mysterious physique compelled her even more. Hinata tried to tame herself; this wasn't how she normally reacted around guys.

Of course, she still had a crush on Naruto and would always love him, unrequited or not. But Naruto was Naruto, a hard driven goofball who was very sweet and could be quite the jokester at times. But Hinata never really categorized him as sexy; she never looked at him like that. She was attracted to his personality, not his appearance.

But it seemed she was attracted to Itachi, despite the fact that she didn't know very much about him.

Hinata realized she had been sitting next to Itachi this whole time while contemplating her thoughts. Embarrassed at the crude turn her thoughts had taken, she made her way toward the door as quietly as she could.

"Leaving so soon? I quite admired that shade of pink on your cheeks."

Hinata froze mid-step, fear glazed over her eyes like a wave on a beach shore. She thought she would make it out alive but apparently that wasn't possible. Straightening her posture, she told herself to calm down. _He can't read your thoughts, he has no idea_.

"Were you picturing a dirty fantasy you'd like to share with me? I'd be happy to listen."

Apparently he _could_ read minds, although not completely. Hinata took a deep breath and turned toward him. He was sitting up with a smirk on his face. His hair was free and hung over his shoulders, his eyes amused and fixed on her. Hinata cleared her throat, averting her eyes to the floor. She could feel her cheeks burning and she didn't know what to say.

"I'm sorry for disturbing you. I only wanted to check your bandages to see if they needed to be replaced."

"Do they need to be replaced?" He asked. He raised an eyebrow, welcoming her to check.

Hinata stumbled over to the bed and crouched beside him, peering shyly at the bandages around his stomach. She was all too aware of his gaze on her and prayed he would look away. Her eyes traveled up his torso to his face and connected with his obsidian gaze. A chill crept up her arms and danced around her neck. He frightened her, but it wasn't only in a bad way.

He frightened her because she was attracted to him, a criminal, a traitor. He frightened her because he made this dark part inside her arise when she never thought she had a dark part to her. Hinata never believed she'd help someone from the Akatsuki, but here she was, checking his bandages. That was the dark part that lived within her, the unnatural side of her. Yes, she had an open heart and believed in the best in everyone, but she never applied it to _evil_ people. And Itachi was supposed to be evil, wasn't he? She didn't know the man personally, but that didn't stop the pull he had on her. There was a mysterious shroud of mist that embodied the Uchiha. It reached out as if it had claws and tugged at Hinata, beckoning her to come to him. He frightened her because he was the complete opposite of what she liked in a man. How did she know who she liked if Itachi could change that without even saying anything?

Hinata didn't know if she liked this dark, almost rebellious side of her. It felt like she was betraying her own village by taking Itachi in. There was a battle inside her, a tug of war, between the angel and the devil and so far, nobody was winning.

"They don't need to be changed. In fact, it looks like the bleeding has stopped." Hinata straightened and gave him a smile.

"That's good news. How is your training going?" Itachi decided to make small talk, seeing as he was confined to a bed. If he couldn't train then he could at least talk about it with someone.

Hinata brushed her hair behind her ear, showing off the right side of her face. She would look good with her hair up, Itachi thought.

Her stomach eased a little at the friendly tone of his voice, "It's going well. It would be better if I had a sparring partner. But I train for hours every day and I think it's paying off." She looked up at him, flashing a sideways smile. He nodded in response, admiring her positivism.

"I would like to see you in battle one day," Itachi said, adjusting himself on the bed, "see how much the Hyuga clan has strengthened."

Hinata couldn't refrain from blushing and looked away. Images of them fighting together crossed her mind, images that seemed so out of place. On what planet would they ever fight together or be on the same side? She scoffed inwardly at the very idea.

"I think the only time you would ever see that is with us being on opposite sides, Itachi." She looked him in the eye, the smile making her eyes crinkle around the edges. He couldn't help but smirk, feeling the truth behind her statement. Itachi sighed, resting his head against the wall.

"Life can throw curveballs at you, Hinata. You just have to be ready to catch them."


	4. Chapter 4

It had been three days since Hinata found Itachi in the forest. Since then, she had taken him in and helped him heal from his fatal wounds. She had shown him hospitality, kindness, friendship. She had made him soup and his favorite dessert, which she pried out of him. Nobody ever made his favorite dessert besides his mother, but this woman insisted she know and make it for him. Why she wanted to make it was beyond his knowledge but it was better for him. Since arriving at her home Itachi had gotten to know Hinata and she got to learn a little bit about him. If Itachi didn't know better it seemed as though a friendship was forming.

Itachi tried to stray from any form of relationship that wasn't business related. It wasn't good for him to have close acquaintances and so he kept everyone at bay. It's not like it was a hard task to manage, what with him being an S-class criminal and all. But Hinata brought out friendliness in him that Itachi had trouble ignoring. He found himself wanting her company in the days he stayed at her home, which were very peaceful days. It had been a long time since Itachi had felt peaceful in anyone's company, he felt a bit strange at first. But he grew used to it and found he liked the silence and the casual conversations. Itachi thought he was beginning to grow soft, that this fragile but enticing young woman was rubbing off on him. Things definitely were looking up in a different perspective.

In the days spent healing, Itachi was bedridden. He couldn't get up or move about and he became restless. He tried to get up one day, and the pain that shot through his side caused Itachi's anger to boil. Hinata tried helping him back down and he snapped at her like a vicious canine, making her jump back and look at him the way everyone else did. The look of fear and confusion made Itachi feel sick and immediately he apologized, which surprised him. It was a new moment for him. The words felt foreign on his tongue but he enjoyed the satisfying taste of it.

While resting, Itachi planned his next move. His life was changing now, everything shifted from right-side-up to the right-side-down. Except, it was the opposite for Itachi. Now that he was no longer associated with the organization, Itachi's eyes were uncovered. It felt like he was hiding in the dark, dusty corner of an attic all these years and now the time had come for him to stand up and leave the attic. Everything felt new to him, but at the same time, familiar. Itachi couldn't help but feel a bit excited that his life was starting over, he even felt hopeful. Of course, not everything would be the same. As the things that he knew would not be the same shifted in his mind, Itachi lay his head on his pillow and sift through memories. Memories of simple but not so peaceful days; times filled with hope and a bright future; and even the bad days because even the bad days had good aspects in them.

There were things Itachi could do now that he had left the Akatsuki. That was why he was on the brink of death when Hinata found him. It wasn't the norm for a member to leave the Akatsuki alive. But Itachi was an exception. He didn't know why he deserved this second chance at life but he grasped it, clung on to it like it would be gone tomorrow. What Itachi planned to do was find a village to move in, start a brand new life, and maybe even revive his clan. Itachi sighed at the pain that statement caused. Silently, he looked up to the ceiling and beyond it to the heavens, sending a prayer to his mother and his father. Itachi vowed to avenge his clan, renew it from the bottom up. There was still hope.

Hinata knocked on the door then and poked her head in. He waved her in. She came in carrying a tray of food and Itachi sat up, this time it was much easier since his wound healed. He figured by tomorrow he'd be ready to leave.

"I brought you some hot soup and some rice," Hinata set the tray of food down on the table beside him.

"Thank you, Hinata."

"How are you feeling?" She asked, peering at his side," It looks like you've healed up almost entirely."

Itachi nodded. He had the bowl of soup in his hands and was blowing on his spoon, he hated when he burned his tongue. "I should be ready to leave by tomorrow morning."

Hinata suddenly straightened up and stared at him as if he had called her a bitch. "You're leaving? So soon?" Her eyes fell to the floor and she played with her fingers. "I thought you'd stay here longer than that."

Itachi swallowed, the soup slid down his throat nicely. "I cannot stay any longer. I have things I need to take care of."

Hinata suspected by 'things' he meant revenge. What else could it mean? Hinata knew revenge was imbedded in the Uchiha's blood, it drove Sasuke crazy. The fact that Itachi was setting out for revenge didn't surprise Hinata, she only wished he would stay a little longer. Her conscience questioned that statement but she ignored it. She didn't want to deal with her conscience right now.

"You're going after the Akatsuki aren't you?"

"No, I have no reason to." He sipped his soup.

This took Hinata aback. She stared at him dumbly while he sipped the soup she had prepared for him. It wasn't made from scratch; rather it was a packaged pre-made soup that required heating up. He seemed to enjoy it.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" He asked without bothering to look at her.

"What is going on, Itachi?"

"I have left the Akatsuki. There is no need for me to get revenge on them when they have done nothing to me. They have helped me, actually." He said it so matter-of-factly, so nonchalantly, like anyone could just walk away from the Akatsuki and expect to live.

Hinata's jaw dropped in shock. Itachi found it amusing how easily surprised she was. Then again, Itachi supposed that one leaving the Akatsuki was impossible or rare. Itachi considered himself a rare case.

"You _left_? What do you mean you left?"

"I thought the Hyuuga were a smart clan? Do you not know what left means, Hinata? Mind you, it is not the opposite of right, in this sense." Itachi couldn't resist the small jabs Hinata was setting herself up for. The flush of pink on her face when he joked with her was satisfying, amusing. Never had he joked about someone or something with the intention of laughing. Now that he was doing it, he saw that sarcasm was funny and quite enjoyed this woman's incredulous expressions.

"Why did you leave?" Hinata asked after finally overcoming her momentary setback.

"Because I wanted to."

"And you were nearly killed for it? Why would you leave if you would be beaten so badly?" Hinata couldn't imagine going through such a horrible process just to leave something you were always a part of.

"Things could be worse, Hinata. Remember that."

Itachi finished his soup and set the empty bowl back on the tray. He moved on to the steaming bowl of rice. He began to eat small increments, content. He was aware of how confused Hinata was and understood how many questions she had. He expected more to come from her but she remained silent. When he looked at her, Hinata had a look of admiration on her face.

"That is so good to hear, Itachi!" Caught off guard by both her look of admiration and her words, Itachi wasn't prepared for a hug. Hinata dove in and locked her arms around Itachi's neck in a friendly, congratulatory way. His rice was pinned against his chest, his chopsticks fallen on the bed. Itachi sat there, stunned like a fly in a flytrap, as Hinata embraced him. Her hair was soft against his cheek, softer than any woman's hair should ever be. It smelled of coconuts and the ocean. He inhaled the scent, letting it coax his senses. This was something new to Itachi. This he was not used to. Itachi was confused at this interaction, oblivious as to why this woman was hugging him. But despite that, he let his free hand fall on Hinata's back.

Things were changing already.

Author's Note- I think you guys are going to like my next chapter. I wrote it and it made me feel giddy. Hehe.


	5. Chapter 5

Hinata was training early this morning. She was having a hard time staying in bed and decided to get up when the rising sun filtered its first few rays of light through her window. The quietness of the mornings was her favorite time of day to be awake. The sounds of nature were always her favorite music. It was one of the reasons why Hinata liked to train before anyone else was awake.

Stopping to catch a breath and rest her arms, Hinata stopped by a tree she had dropped her sweater and water by. Taking a few gulps of water helped her regain some energy. She wiped her brow, cracked her knuckles, and set out to practice her palm rotation technique. She wasn't as fast as she wanted to be with this technique so she practiced with it every day. There was some improvement but not enough. Neji had told her to focus more and know where she's aiming before she aims. Despite his advice, Hinata was having trouble seeing her target when there wasn't actually a target. This is what Hinata meant by wishing she had a training partner. Her mind wandered to Itachi, and all the details he told her yesterday had come flooding back. She lost her footing and slipped backward, but she caught herself in time to back flip and land upright. Hinata pushed the hair away from her face and exhaled.

As she began her rotation again, she wondered what Itachi planned to do with his life now that he was a free man. Would he come back to the village? Surely not, there were too many reasons why that would never be a possibility. It was a nice thought, though. Seeing Itachi casually around the village as if he was never a criminal. That would be interesting. He would be another friend, a _good looking_ friend, her conscience chimed in. Hinata agreed, picturing Itachi with his hair down and smiling. How often was it someone got to see an Akatsuki member smile genuinely?

Hinata supposed Itachi would either try to find Sasuke and attempt to make amends, or start a new clan. Would that be possible? He killed his entire clan, save Sasuke, so what were the odds of Itachi reviving it? Still, even if he did, he would have to find someone worthy of procreating with. Hinata's mind snapped to a sexy side of Itachi with a random woman as they started to undress each other. She shut her eyes and shook her head. This was not what she should be doing. That was not who Hinata was. Hinata was an innocent girl who liked to make people happy. And yet, despite her claim of innocence, Hinata pictured that scene again only with her as the woman Itachi was undressing. His breath was hot on her skin and his hands glided like feathers over her body, raising and lifting up her shirt, sliding it up over her head to reveal her chest…

"Hinata."

"Yes…" Hinata responded in more of a moan than a question, and it took her a moment to figure out that she wasn't alone. Quickly, she searched for the body belonging to the voice, and blushed brightly when she saw Itachi standing a few feet away in the clearing. He wore a black v-beck and dark brown sweatpants; his hair was tied in that lose pony-tail. It was odd seeing him in normal clothing, she was used to the mystery of his body under the Akatsuki cloak he always wore.

"Are you okay, Hinata? You've been standing in this clearing for a while and I thought you fell asleep standing up. Or did an apple fall from the tree and give you an epiphany?"

Hinata played with the ends of her hair, kicking at the dirt. He always made jokes, which was different from the mysterious Itachi she knew. Hinata had to accept the fact that Itachi was different now, which meant things he did and said were going to seem out of the norm. But really, it was probably who Itachi truly was under the cloak. And, Hinata realized, she didn't know Itachi at all. She only knew bits and pieces of him but not him entirely. As he stood there, observing her, she observed him. She recognized the intensity in his eyes, but not the light in them. She was familiar with his intimidating stance and glare, but not his friendly, vulnerable side. She couldn't imagine those things, but she wanted to know them. The mystery that surrounded the Uchiha was more prevalent than when he was just an S-class criminal trying to go after Naruto. Before, Hinata could sum him up as an evil human being who wanted to cause harm to her friends. But now, Hinata's world spun out of control in this frenzy of wanting to know who Itachi really was.

That realization scared her because of all the outcomes of learning about Itachi. There were consequences of befriending the enemy, and Hinata was afraid of facing those consequences. But, as she took a deep breath, Hinata realized she would face those consequences if the time came, because Hinata wanted to learn about Itachi. His dark aura pulled her in, despite her effort to ignore it. But the question remained- did Itachi want her to learn who he really was? And did he want to learn who she was? For all Hinata knew, Itachi could leave here and never think of her again. But for some reason, Hinata hoped that wouldn't happen. For some reason, Hinata hoped Itachi would stay and she could be his friend. In this hateful world, everyone needed a friend who wouldn't try to kill you or abandon you. And Hinata thought she was the perfect candidate for that position.

"Hinata, do you need me to bring you back home?" Itachi had stepped up to her and inspected her appearance. She looked tired and sweaty but didn't see anything out of the ordinary.

Hinata shook her head, finally coming back to reality. "No, Itachi. Thank you. I just had a momentary dizzy spell."

"I understand. I came out here to find you and ask you if you wanted a sparring partner."

Hinata choked back a gulp. She fidgeted with her fingers and tossed her gaze to the surrounding trees, immediately nervous. She stammered, "I uhm…"

"I won't hurt you, I promise." Itachi turned her face to look at him, giving her an easy-going grin to reassure her. This time Hinata gulped, but she nodded in agreement. The two each got into position, Itachi tightening his pony-tail and Hinata getting into her stance. She was nervous going up against Itachi as a mere sparring partner, it seemed so bizarre to her. But she took a deep breath, put her palms-forward and released her Byakugan.

Pushing her feelings aside, Hinata made the first move. She charged for Itachi for a head-on attack, aiming at one of his chakra points. As her palm came close to hitting Itachi, Itachi pushed her arm aside and hit her in the gut. She doubled over and held her stomach, but the damage was minimal. Itachi sprang backward, his sharingan activated. Hinata didn't stop and pulled two kunai from her pouch, sending them directly at Itachi. She sent a third one zinging toward him after she ran in an arc to get closer to him. Itachi deflected all three of them, sending them flying into nearby trees. Hinata charged forward to strike and almost hit his shoulder but he gripped her arm and flung her in the opposite direction. Hinata sent kunai at him and she disappeared as a shadow clone. Coming up from behind him, Hinata attacked. She struck his back but he disappeared and reappeared behind her, a kunai to her throat. That ended the session.

"Looks like I win this round." Itachi said.

Suddenly, before Itachi could react, Hinata shoved his arm out of the way and fell forward onto her hands. Her leg came up in a flurry and kicked Itachi square in the jaw. He was knocked backward while Hinata sprang toward him to finish him. Itachi slammed into the trunk of a tree, his jaw aching from the powerful kick, and barely saw Hinata coming toward him before it was too late. She had her arm cocked back ready to land a dangerous blow to his chest, when Itachi pulled her forward and reversed their positions. He slammed her into the base of the tree, pinning her shoulders against the bark. She was gasping for breath, confusion on her face. She thought she had him that time.

He smirked devilishly at her, "It's not nice to play dirty, Hinata."

Hinata smiled at him, her own devil coming out. "You wanted to be my partner. You asked for it."

Itachi gave a chuckle but didn't release his hold on her. "I think you are a very good fighter, despite your dirty antics." He brushed a lock of her hair away from her face, tucking it securely behind her ear. She didn't know what possessed him to do that, but Hinata didn't argue. It felt nice.

"Thank you, Itachi."

"It was my pleasure, Hinata."

A/N: Okay, I lied. You guys are going to like the NEXT chapter. I loved this one when I wrote it and then couldn't wait to write the next one and I just finished it. I don't want to upload it until I have chapter 7 done. But I love it, I hope you guys like it and feel my feels when you read it =)


	6. Chapter 6

It turned out Itachi didn't leave that day after all. He told Hinata he would leave tomorrow, which was two days ago. But he couldn't bring himself to leave. He didn't know what it was but he didn't want to leave Hinata. Her presence, her very proximity near him, made him at ease. So many days and years of being this intimidating monster that he had to claim to be had made him so tired, so worn down. Itachi was now finding the ability to relax his body, drop his shoulders and breathe. He could think without having to calculate the amount of effort it would take to carry out a plan. Now he could just think about things in such a lighter detail and not have to retain all the baggage that was tied to it. Itachi could be a normal man.

But what was normal? Itachi thought, as he sipped a cup of tea that Hinata had made for him. Before, normal meant taking orders from Pain, to find the tailed-beasts and capture them. To Itachi, that was normal. But now, what did normal consist of? Well, Itachi thought, normal was whatever it made itself out to be. It would take time to normalize his life.

Hinata was happy to have him stay at her place. Itachi was honored that she enjoyed his company, but found it a bit interesting that she would take so kindly to someone like him. As they were sitting in Hinata's kitchen while waiting for the rice cook, Itachi put a question on the table.

"Why is it that you are so kind to me, Hinata Hyuga? After all that I have done, why does it seem so easy for you to accept me into your home and heal me?"

Hinata gave a genuine smile, her hair falling over her shoulder as she looked at her steaming cup of tea. Her reflection was vague, merely a shadow in the liquid. The steam spread over her face like the sun on a hot summer's day. She fingered the rim of the teacup, wording her response in her head.

"I believe in second chances. I know you're an S-class criminal and you're wanted by the village and your brother, but when I saw you that day, barely able to move," Hinata's eyes took a glossy look as she recounted that moment, her face taking on a pained expression," I thought you were just another person who needed help. Who am I to say whether or not you deserve help? There is no such thing as a good or bad person in this world. That is what I believe. We are based around the behaviors and actions that we take and are stereotyped because of those actions. I know you have hurt and killed many people that others would say were good people," Hinata looked at Itachi, her eyes focused and honest," But who's to say those people that you killed were any more 'good' or 'bad' than you were?" She shook her head in disbelief,"I just think you are worthy of a second chance, no matter what you have done. I'm sorry if that makes me a dishonorable person…"

Itachi sat there and let her words fall into place in his mind. She was confident up until the very end, and even still at the end. Itachi didn't know how deep this woman could be, how intense her thoughts were. It amazed Itachi that she saw him as just another person, when everyone around him saw him as a horrible person. He sat on this thought for a while, turning his cup around with his thumb. He didn't realize the rice was done until Hinata placed a heaping bowl of it in front of him, to which he thanked her.

They ate in silence, both enjoying their meal. Itachi observed Hinata as she ate. He noticed her shoulders weren't tense as if she was afraid of him. She didn't have a begrudging look on her face or any kind of expression that said she didn't want him there. Hinata looked calm, happy even. Itachi liked how her long hair framed her face and how her eyes highlighted her hair. She was a sight for sore eyes.

"Thank you, Hinata." His sudden words startled Hinata in her seat. She blushed lightly and nodded, continuing to eat her rice.

Itachi felt compelled to tell Hinata a story, to share some bits and pieces of his personality. He cleared his throat, ridding it of any blockage.

"May I share a story with you, Hinata?"

"Of course, Itachi."

"There was a time when I wasn't so brutal in my ninja ways. I wasn't a 'bad' person, as people would now consider me as. It was back in the early days of the village, when the First Hokage was still alive. This is probably when you're about Sasuke's age. Those days were calm and had the taste of promise in the wind. Before anything ever happened to my clan, I remember it being one of the best times of my life." It was Itachi's turn for his eyes to sink back into remembrance, to lean back in his chair with one arm slung over the back. "Sasuke adored me as his older brother. And I adored him. He was always so happy to see me, so full of life and energy. He always wanted me to help him with his jutsu, but I never had the time. Looking back on it now, I wish I did help him with his training. I wish I spent just a little bit more time being the older brother Sasuke thought I was. Maybe things would have turned out differently if I did. But I can't change that now. I made Sasuke despise me and build up his desire to kill me. There's no hope of us going back to siblings. Now we are just strangers to one another. I can only look back and remember the times where Sasuke was happy, and I was his older brother whom he admired and looked up to. I will never have that again, and it breaks my heart, Hinata."

Itachi had let his words fall on a whisper as the truth of his words dawned on him. He sighed, rubbing a hand over his face and leaving it there. His heart began to ache in places it hadn't ached in years. Not since the massacre. It hurt, thinking about his little brother who was now out to get revenge. His actions weighed a lot on Itachi and there was nothing anyone could ever do to relieve him of this weight. It was his burden to bear, and Sasuke's to act upon. He missed his parents every waking moment of every day. Sasuke didn't know that, wouldn't believe him if Itachi told him. Because he killed them. He turned off his emotions and killed them, one after another. And Itachi fucking regretted it now more than ever.

He felt a hand bring his arm down and saw Hinata looking at him, her expression torn. The look on her face was one of sorrow, empathy. She squeezed his hand, and he squeezed back. It was the little things that counted.

"I'm sorry, Itachi. I know you did things that you regret now, and I know there isn't any way to alleviate your pain. But I want you to know that I don't blame you. I may just be one person in the world, but I am one person that doesn't blame you for what you did. And I'm sorry."

Itachi didn't know he needed to hear those words. Even though she had no idea how it felt to be an Uchiha, nevertheless one of the last surviving Uchiha, she still empathized with him. Still, she apologized for him. It was in that very moment that Itachi needed something. He needed the comfort of another person, someone who understood how he felt, even if they couldn't grasp the true definition of his pain. Itachi leaned over to Hinata and enveloped her in a hug, his face in her shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her and didn't let go until he felt ready to. And the sensation that overcame him, of hugging another human being-something he hadn't done in years, decades- was like no other sensation he had ever experienced. Then Hinata hugged him back, and he felt a whole new sensation all over again.

He felt reborn. Alive. Human.

"Your words mean so much to me, Hinata. I am grateful for them and for you. You have saved me in more ways than you can imagine." He told her, whispering in her ear. The moment didn't call for regular voice volume; it was a moment of honesty, of vulnerability.

"You have saved me, too, Itachi." The way his name echoed off her tongue gave him desires. Nobody said his name who wasn't a guy, who wasn't a murderer like he was. Itachi admired this woman for her bravery to take him in, befriend him. He couldn't ask for anything else from someone.

They stayed locked in a hug for what felt like days. Time seemed boundless while they held each other, holding onto the reality that was now beginning to feel possible. That Itachi was an ex-member of the Akatsuki, that he was capable of being a kind human being, that he did have feelings. And that Hinata was a woman, even if she was only one person in this entire world, who was capable of seeing who Itachi really was and accepted him despite his past. During this moment, they both realized that they each saved each other, despite how different they both were.

Collectively, they both began to release each other, but there grasp on one another did not fall completely. They stopped when they were able to see eye-to-eye. Pure violet met mysterious onyx in this heart-hammering moment. Neither spoke a word or made a move, but they spoke a thousand words in a single moment. Without any indication of what was to come, Itachi very carefully bent his head toward Hinata, who responded with a tilt of her head in the opposite direction. With the fluttering of closed eyelids and barely a breath in their lungs, Itachi and Hinata let their lips touch in a pure and delicate kiss. They weren't in sync with each other's movements, but that didn't matter. As Itachi cupped Hinata's cheek in his palm, and Hinata placed her hand on his, they bonded in a way that surprised them both. Neither of them made a move to stop, or push it further. They sat there, in Hinata's kitchen with the sun beginning to descend, and kissed each other the way they felt the other deserved.

Itachi had never had his heart hammer inside his chest the way it was doing now. It was a stimulating feeling that he believed he could get used to. Hinata's lips were smooth and her tongue gentle. He hoped he wasn't doing anything wrong that could end this moment, because Itachi felt like his world was being put together, by this simple yet life-changing kiss.

A/N: I hope you guys liked this chapter, because I loved it. I couldn't wait to write it! Itachi and Hinata are such a cute couple….they're just so different and I think that makes an adorable story to write. I try to show how they can come together through similarities using their differences. I hope you liked it, it's not the last chapter, don't worry!


	7. Chapter 7

"What will happen now, Itachi?"

It was late. The moon was high overhead and bright, it illuminated everything in a silver, mystified glow. The world was quiet; the crickets hummed their nightly ballad. It was difficult to believe that a world capable of being so tranquil could be filled with such violence and hatred. It made no sense to Itachi, but neither did anything else.

What will happen now? It was a question that needed to have an answer, but there were infinite answers to complete the question. Itachi didn't know what would come next; he only knew what he felt in the present. Itachi and Hinata decided to take a leisurely walk through the forest, enough distance away from the village to not be found. They had stopped by a gathering of trees and gazed up at the incandescent moon, marveling at its glory. Hinata, who relaxed up against the bark of an oak, gazed at Itachi, her mind wandering. Like Itachi, Hinata was also confused at the turn of events, but from somewhere in her heart, it felt right. It couldn't be wrong if the feeling was right, could it?

Itachi turned to look at Hinata, enjoyed the picture of her porcelain skin emanating in the moonlight. It was something Itachi had never placed his eyes upon, but one he was grateful to have nonetheless. This woman, who was proving to be beautiful inside and out, was his savior. Itachi didn't know if savior was too strong of a word, but he didn't care. It sat comfortable on his tongue and he couldn't find one to replace it, so he left it. He brushed a thumb across her jaw-line, following the edge of her features up to her ear. She was warm in his hand; it sent an unknown feeling down his arm. She looked so sweet to Itachi as she leaned into his palm, gazed up at him with her undying gaze. Itachi wanted this moment to last forever, the same as the moment where they shared a very passionate kiss. Unfortunately, that kiss didn't last forever, but Itachi knew it could happen again.

He placed his arm against the tree to hold himself before Hinata; he was taller than her which made her have to tilt her head back to look at him. Still cupping her cheek in his right palm, Itachi bent forward to grace her lips with a gentle kiss. She let him. Every time their lips met, it seemed, a current of electricity ran through circuits in Itachi's body. He kissed her softly, getting lost in the scent of her lilac fragrance. He embraced her with the intention of not letting go. He dug his fingers into the silkiness of her hair, running his fingers through the strands. She felt like heaven to him, he couldn't believe anyone could feel this way. He couldn't believe _he_ was capable of feeling this way.

At last, Itachi pulled back. He rested his forehead against hers while they basked in the moment. Hinata was smiling. She wrapped her arms around Itachi's neck; Itachi's hands planted themselves on her waist. They held each other, loving the emotions in the atmosphere.

"I don't know what will happen now." Itachi murmured, finally giving an answer to her question. Hinata had completely forgotten about her question, too lost in this moment to think of anything else. She didn't want to think about it, about the future, only the here and now. Because the present had never felt so good to Hinata, she didn't want to let the feelings she was experiencing go. But her conscience pushed worrisome questions at her, making her forget temporarily about the present. She leaned against the tree and leveled her gaze with Itachi.

"This is a serious situation we are in, Itachi."

Itachi didn't have to be told that to know it. He sighed, brushed a hand through his bangs. Hinata liked the way they fell back into place, outlining his features. It seemed so normal to her to be attracted to him, yet when she thought about it, about who they each were, it seemed out of this world.

Itachi took a deep breath, "I don't know what will happen now, all I do know is that I would like to be with you."

Itachi knew right then that he fucked himself. Speaking those words aloud dug him into an emotional-six-foot grave that he knew he couldn't get out of. It's not that his words were false, but that they were very much honest. This was the first time Itachi ever felt connected to someone romantically. Admitting it meant there was no way he could lie to himself now. He couldn't ignore his feelings for Hinata, even if they were just beginning to bloom.

Hinata hadn't said anything to his statement. She was looking at the moon, deep in thought. Itachi turned her head and looked into her eyes. They were delicate, emotional.

"Did I say something I shouldn't have?" It would pain Itachi to hurt Hinata, the one person who made him feel human.

Hinata shook her head and gave a shy smile," I'm fine. I'm just worried about the outcome of our actions," Hinata grew silent for a little while, and then she said," There's a chance this won't end well."

Itachi enfolded Hinata in his arms, rubbing her head soothingly. He knew the outcome could be a negative one. He expected it. But he didn't know where things were leading, only where they might lead. Itachi had to tread carefully. There were things on the line that Itachi couldn't risk, that Hinata couldn't lose. This would take time and consideration, because as much as Itachi liked the idea, the two of them couldn't just run away and live together. Besides, Itachi didn't run away from things. He stayed with them until the issue was resolved. That's who he was, some things about him had changed, but other things had remained the same. Itachi would figure this out so it would work for the both of them, he just needed time.

"We'll figure it out." Was all Itachi said before they walked back to Hinata's place, his mind lost in thought.

~W~

Since Itachi had healed completely, he had given Hinata her room back. He slept on the couch in the living room, which was connected to the kitchen so it wasn't very big. The space didn't bother Itachi, though. Just because he was an Akatsuki member didn't mean he had the life of luxury. There were long days of sleeping on the rocky ground with his arm as a pillow, sleepless nights in a cold cave. None of that bothered him. Kisame, on the other hand, had a knack for complaining about where they camped out for the night. Itachi tolerated it but that didn't exclude the fact that the fucker complained about everything.

Tonight was one of those sleepless nights, it wasn't a cold night though but he did desire the warmth of a beautiful dark-haired woman. His body was stretched along the length of the couch, his gaze on the ceiling fan, his left arm slung over the armrest. It wasn't that he wasn't comfortable. It was all the thoughts going through his head. Itachi had to make a decision. He was between leaving here and never looking back, which meant saying good-bye to Hinata and any future he may have with her, or staying here with her. Itachi instinctively chose the latter, thinking she would choose the same.

His eyes followed the fan blades as they danced around in a slow cycle, loop after loop after loop. Normally, Itachi was a quick thinker. But all the decisions he made in the past didn't involve his emotions. Itachi found it much more difficult to make decisions when you invested your feelings into them. Once you've planted yourself into the situation, there was no going back.

Itachi closed his eyes, hoping it would help him concentrate better. In what world did a criminal and a woman like Hinata end up together? Itachi had all the odds against him, yet he still managed to find a way to capture the eye of a sweetheart from the village he ran away from. If it were anyone else from another village maybe this would be easier. But the entire village knew who he was and wouldn't dare to let one of their own go off with a member of the Akatsuki. Hinata was the heiress to the Hyuga clan, as well, which made this predicament even worse. Knowing Hinata ran off with a criminal and left her clan would bring heavy dishonor upon her. He didn't know how much Hinata cared, but he pegged that she wasn't one to stray from her responsibilities. Itachi sighed.

Why didn't he just leave? Just forget about Hinata all together? His traitorous thoughts weaved their way into Itachi's mind, angling him toward his old self. Itachi tried to push the thoughts away, putting his own feelings first, but he couldn't stop himself from entertaining the idea. It would take away the stress of worrying about all this bullshit, Itachi concluded. With this luck, there was another woman out there waiting for him. All Itachi had to do was leave before Hinata woke up and they'd never run into each other again. While this was an interesting idea, Itachi found he couldn't bring himself to do it.

Leave Hinata in the middle of the night? Call him a pussy but he'd rather join the Akatsuki again then do that. That was a coward's way out, Itachi thought. He would just be running from his problems instead of working toward a solution, and he wasn't one to run from his problems. He had enough regret on his plate and he didn't need to add to it. Caring about someone sucked, but it also had its qualities.

Itachi lay there on the couch, sifting through ideas and wondering how much longer he'd be able to hide in the village. If they found him he could be out of here in a flash before they caught him, but that wouldn't stop the consequences from raining down on Hinata. He wondered how good of a liar she was and instantly pictured her face turning red and he chuckled. She probably wouldn't get very far.

It was two o'clock in the morning when Itachi decided to put his thoughts on hold and go to sleep. He still hadn't come up with a solution to how things could work out, but he believed he was close to something. Yawning, he turned on his side to face toward the back of the couch. He let himself fall asleep, hoping the next day would bring him more ideas.

A/N: So, I watched The Last: Naruto the movie, and without giving any spoilers…I honestly feel like I'm betraying Naruto by writing a ItaHina Story haha…I love that movie, I cried so hard and I think I have a new favorite couple, that's all I'm going to say about that. Sorry about the break, I got over my cold, finally. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter and the next, for a change is beginning to take place in the characters.


	8. Chapter 8

The food made a sizzling sound as it cooked over the fire in the pan. Bacon, eggs, and sausage. It smelled divine to Itachi, who was hovering over the stove trying not to burn anything. It wasn't everyday he made a home-cooked meal for somebody, especially himself. He had a satisfied grin on his face as he watched the food cook to perfection. Hinata would love this, he thought. Well, he hoped she would love it, seeing as he didn't know all that much about her tastes. He intended to learn all he could, and this was his first step in the right direction.

She should be back soon. Itachi found that Hinata liked to wake up early and go out to train before anyone else woke up. The time before everyone started their day was the perfect time to be awake, in Itachi's opinion. He liked to wake up before dawn, himself, and meditate in a quiet meadow; it was a beautiful way to start a day. He hadn't done that in a while, he noticed, making a mental note to do so in the near future. Itachi flipped the bacon, making sure to not burn himself on the popping grease. His mouth was watering from the scent of the bacon, he could almost taste it.

When everything was done, he turned the stove off and put everything on a platter. There was enough food for the both of them to share a nice, peaceful breakfast. He grabbed two plates from the cabinet and set them at the table. The front door opened and Hinata looked surprised to see him in the kitchen.

"Good morning, Itachi." Hinata greeted as her gaze fell to the table of food, a puzzled look overcoming her features.

Itachi pulled a chair out for her, motioning her to sit. She did so rather shyly, her hands falling neatly in her lap as he pushed her in. "Good morning, Hinata. How was your training?"

"It went well. Itachi, what is all this?" She waved a hand at the platter of food. Her stomach grumbled.

"I made breakfast for us. I hope you like what I've prepared." Itachi gave her a warm smile, to which she blushed in reply to. From what Hinata could smell, she assumed she would enjoy it immensely.

"You didn't have to do this, Itachi." Hinata admitted. She hadn't had anyone prepare a meal for her before besides her parents and caretakers when she was a child. It felt rather odd to have a guy cooking for her, and she immediately felt bad that he went through all this trouble over it.

"It wasn't any trouble at all. I wanted to do it for you. It's the least I could do after staying in your home." Itachi spoke honestly, but felt like a meal was not enough to pay her back for her generosity. He wanted to do more for her, but he came up to a brick wall for ideas on how to repay her. Itachi knelt down next to Hinata and she looked at him, causing his heart to soften. He couldn't resist the smile that she provoked in him. Gently, he brushed a lock of her hair back, grazing her cheek with his knuckles. She was a porcelain angel. He wanted her to be his porcelain angel. He just didn't know how to make that possible.

"Would you kiss me, Hinata? Or am I being too bold by asking you for such a thing?" Itachi had to ask her; it felt like he was pushing too much on her by kissing her so often. He couldn't fight his urges though; Itachi liked how she felt on him. He craved it every second of every day.

Hinata shook her head, her eyes closed as she did so and she leaned into his palm. She turned to face him, mesmerized by his demeanor. He was gentle with her; he touched her like a delicate piece of artwork that would break if dropped. Was he scared to be rough with her? Hinata wondered, and hoped that wasn't the case. Everyone treated her with such ease that it made her think nobody wanted to touch her. Itachi stuck a finger under her chin and guided her head up to level with his.

"What is the matter, my angel?" Itachi whispered, looking into both of her eyes.

Again Hinata shook her head but then decided to voice her thoughts instead of keeping them in like she always did.

"Do you…touch me gently like this because you're scared I might…I might break or something?" Hinata's voice was hushed, cracked.

She felt his thumb make small strokes over her cheek.

"Do you not like the way I touch you, Hinata?"

"N-no! That's not it at all! I like it when you touch me…" Hinata felt odd saying those words; it made her blush in embarrassment. "I mean…the way you touch me it…it's like the way everyone else touches me…like they're afraid I might break or something if they're too rough with me. But that's not how I am…"

Understanding showed in Itachi's eyes. He got it. He was all too familiar about being seen as something that he wasn't. He knew what Hinata meant. And he knew how to fix it.

Breakfast forgotten, Itachi stood up and pulled Hinata to her feet. He held her hands and looked her in the eyes, his expression somber.

"Will you let me show you how I feel like you should be touched, Hinata?"

Hinata was confused but the look in his eyes spoke honesty, promise, and understanding. He wanted to show her how he felt she should be touched. What if he wanted to hurt her? Hinata doubted it. If Itachi wanted to hurt her he would have done it days ago. He was grasping her hands in his; she could feel his desires pulsating through his palms, sending vibrations through her body. Silently, she nodded, allowing herself to trust him.

Itachi was satisfied with this answer and quickly made a move toward the bedroom. Hinata pulled back when she realized she had just come from her morning training. She was all sweaty and dirty. "Itachi, I should really shower first…I'm very dirty from training…"

Hinata didn't see the smirk her words brought to his face, and they took a detour. He led her to the bathroom, still holding her hand as he turned the shower on. Hinata grew nervous and tried to leave but he held her firmly, giving her a reassuring look over his shoulder. She bit her lip uncertainly.

"If you let me take a shower I'll be out in two minutes, I prom-"

"Do you trust me?" Itachi said, looking back at her.

She hesitated, unsure of how well she trusted her feelings. He watched her sift through her thoughts, his expression determined. She nodded, but Itachi wanted to hear her say it.

"Say it."

"I…I trust you…" The air in the room had changed and it made Hinata more apprehensive.

"Good." Itachi closed the shower curtain and turned toward Hinata. In a blinding speed, Itachi had the bathroom door closed and Hinata up against it before she knew what was happening. Fear rocked through her body but it was quickly replaced with desire when Itachi placed his mouth atop hers in a fiery passion. He kissed her hungrily, grasping her hips as the bathroom filled up with steam from the shower. Hinata was caught off guard by his actions, causing her to move sloppily in response. When Itachi invaded her mouth with his tongue, Hinata regained her composure and got lost in the sensations he was sending through her body.

The bathroom was beginning to get too hot and Itachi lifted his shirt over his head, tossing it haphazardly to the ground. Hinata didn't have time to marvel at Itachi because he started taking her clothes off next. She became self-conscious, having never shown a man her body.

"Trust me, Hinata." She looked into his eyes and her worries seemed to fade in the background. A feeling developed in her stomach that made her want to listen to him, obey him. She dropped her hands that were covering her torso, allowing him to unzip her sweater and slide it off her shoulders. Her t-shirt came off next, leaving her in her black bra. She stood there, pressed against the door, as Itachi observed her. She felt vulnerable, embarrassed that she was showing this much skin to a man she hardly knew. But then he looked at her with that desire in his eyes.

Hinata felt her legs go weak and she nearly fell, but Itachi caught her with a kiss to her lips. He pressed his pelvis against hers, kissing her deeply, passionately. He slid his pants off while keeping his lips locked on hers, making her forget all her concerns. She wrapped her arms around his neck, wanting him closer, needing him against her. Hinata's pants came off and the next thing she knew she was no longer touching the floor.

With his hands firmly grasping Hinata's ass, he held her against the door. She locked her legs around his waist, scared she might be too heavy for him. He pulled back and nipped at her neck, letting his teeth graze her satiny smooth skin. A moan touched his ear in a slow breath, causing his dick to twitch against her panties.

Itachi carried Hinata into the shower, placing his feet very carefully in the tub. He made sure both feet were locked on the tub floor before setting Hinata down. Itachi turned his back toward the rush of water, blocking Hinata from the spray. Droplets of water clung to her skin and slid down her chest and arms. The sight of water on Hinata's chest made Itachi's dick solid, and he stroked it a few times. She was beautiful, he wanted to make her feel that. Hinata crossed her arms self-consciously, causing her breasts to push together. A blush crept across her face as she poked the floor with her foot shyly. She didn't know what to do; she had never done this before, Itachi realized. But that was where he came in.

"Do you trust me, Hinata?"

Itachi had asked this already but he needed a solid confirmation that she trusted him. It was his intention to get to know Hinata any way he could. This was just one of the many ways Itachi planned to learn who Hinata really was. Her answer to his question, her final answer, would be the key to opening that door. What he had in mind was something he needed consent for before he went along and did it.

She looked up at him, her bangs covering the tops of her eyes. The fact that he was asking this again made her reconsider her answer. It meant something if he had to ask again. But Hinata decided that she would never be seen differently if she kept giving the safe answer. If she wanted things to change then she had to make them change.

She nodded, despite her insecurities. "Yes."

A/N: This is a two part scene, hopefully only two parts, haha, my mind can escape me and carry on sometimes. This chapter originally had a completely different outline but when I was in the midst of writing it, it took a turn at the breakfast scene and then this happened. I hope it isn't too graphic or vulgar for some of you so let me know how you liked it or disliked it and I will adjust. Thank you for reading!


	9. Chapter 9

Itachi didn't give her time to react after she had said yes. Immediately he had her pinned against the wall, his right hand holding her face, making her look into his eyes and nowhere else. Her arms were pinned at the wrists above her head with his left hand, stretched against the watered-down wall. He was the only thing she should be thinking about, focusing on. He wouldn't have it any other way. Hinata tended to drop her gaze and avoid eye contact. Itachi decided to dominate the situation, and in order to do that, he had to dominate her.

Looking at her, he could see her insecurities bobbing their heads above sea level. They danced in her eyes with fear and anxiousness, but Itachi spotted excitement in the background as well. She was curious, interested. Well she should be, Itachi thought, holding her eyes with his gaze, letting her thoughts and emotions reach their peak. She was breathing deeply; he could see her chest rise and fall heavily without looking down. It made his dick twitch thinking about her breasts bouncing, the water sliding over her delicate nipples.

Hinata was frozen from Itachi's dominating stare. He wasn't doing anything; he was just standing there, holding her face and searching her expression. It made her anxious that he wasn't doing anything, she couldn't tell what he was thinking and it bothered her. She held her breath for moments at a time because zoning back in from her thoughts was like a bunny being caught in a bear trap. His eyes were unlike any others she had looked into before, they captivated her, swallowed her whole. They seemed to hold many answers and ask few questions. She squirmed against the shower wall, repositioning her feet to get more comfortable.

Without a word, Itachi roughly grasped Hinata's right nipple and twisted it abruptly, all the while maintaining eye contact with her. She jumped and cried out against the sudden pain, pushing herself against the wall in an attempt to get away. Releasing her nipple, Itachi watched her facial expression pass from surprise and pain to relief. She looked at him a bit more shyly now, her gaze not quite measuring up to his. Itachi said nothing. He then ran his hand down the side of her body, going at a gingerly pace until he came up to her sex. Her eyes widened and her legs clamped together, forbidding entry.

"Open your legs, Hinata."

"But I…"

"Now." Hinata's heart thundered in her rib cage to the beat of the shower current. She could scarcely hear her own thoughts over the pressure of the water and the pounding of her heart. His piercing gaze was relentless, unwavering. He waited for her to listen and would tell her again if need be, Itachi had all the time in the world and she was his. It was a few minutes before Hinata made a move. Gradually her legs opened, her feet sliding a few inches apart. She couldn't bear to look at him, she was too embarrassed.

"Good girl."

Her stomach flipped at the compliment he gave her. Being called a good girl by Itachi made her mind reel. She hadn't been called that before, never in this scenario. Hinata wouldn't say it aloud but she enjoyed the sound of it and hoped he would do it again. All at once it felt like a world of possibilities was opening up to Hinata, specifically in the romance department. It made her wonder what else she would experience with Itachi and whether or not she would like it. The ideas made her giddy.

Itachi was still looking into her eyes and his hand was now in between her legs. He dipped his hand past her soaked panties and up against her sex. A finger brushed over her walls, feeling the moisture that had risen there. Hinata pursed her lips, her eyes glazing over. Back and forth, Itachi stroked his finger along her, feeling her out. He didn't go inside but patrolled the perimeter, back and forth. Hinata let her head fall back as she reveled in the massage her womanhood was getting. This was a relaxing feeling to experience, she thought. With the water brushing against her skin and Itachi rubbing her like a kitten, Hinata thought she would start purring. Her heart beat had slowed down but she could feel the beats coming in harder. This was bliss.

Hinata jumped when Itachi suddenly touched her clit. His thumb pressed against her gently, moving in slow circular motions. Unable to help herself, she let out a long, drawn out moan. Now he was rubbing her clit _and_ borderline fingering her. This was heaven, Hinata corrected. Itachi loved the pure expression on Hinata's face as he caressed her. Her chest moved more slowly as her pulse slowed down. Her arms went limp under his hold and he smirked.

Itachi leaned in to kiss Hinata on the neck. She smelled of sweat and lavender, the two scents rolling around in his mind. He opened his mouth and bit down on her shoulder, digging his teeth deeper into her skin. She groaned at the burst of pain but bucked her hips into his hand, trying to compensate the pain for pleasure. Teeth still sunk into her skin, Itachi shoved one finger inside Hinata as far as he could. Her breath came out hot on his ear and she tugged on his earlobe with her teeth. He groaned and moved his finger in and out, picking up the pace as he went on. Hinata had her eyes shut which seemed to intensify the pleasure she was receiving. Her arms had lost feeling in them and Itachi let her bring them down to wrap around his sturdy shoulders. She dug her nails into his back when he quickened his pace.

Suddenly, her surroundings were getting to her. She felt like air had been snatched from her lungs and there was no more available to her. She pushed against Itachi, trying to get his attention and make him stop. Her bangs were in her eyes and she struggled to brush them away.

"Itachi…Itachi, I feel like I can't breathe…" Hinata gasped through the steam.

Without breaking momentum, Itachi turned to shut the water off. Shoving the shower curtain aside, he stepped out and pulled Hinata out of the tub with him, holding her so she wouldn't fall. He grabbed a towel off the rod and wrapped it around her. Hinata clenched the towel and held it closed, finding it much easier to breathe now that the water was off. Bending his knees, he picked Hinata up to carry her into the bedroom.

"Itachi I can walk…"

"Not if I say you can't." He said with a grin.

Setting her down on the bed, Itachi got on top of her. He kissed her deeply. Hinata tangled her fingers in his wet hair, slipping her tongue inside his mouth. She loved the way he tasted-she couldn't identify it but it resembled cinnamon and coffee. Either way she could kiss him for days and not get tired of him.

"You are so beautiful, Hinata." Itachi breathed, brushing her bangs away from her eyes and planting a kiss on her forehead. It made her happy to hear him say that, almost foreign. She had always imagined Naruto saying that to her, but having Itachi say it made it better.

"You're very charming, Itachi."

"I can be." He mused. His hair tickled her chest as he snaked his way down toward her legs. She giggled and squirmed against Itachi's tongue that led a trail down to her belly button. Her panties were still on still very, very much soaked. They felt heavy on her body and she wanted to change into something warmer. The chances of Itachi letting her do that, though, were slim to none.

"These must be very uncomfortable for you," Itachi teased, fingering the ends of her panties. He looked at her as he ran a finger over her sex, stopping right on her clit and pushing on it slightly. Hinata hummed a "mhm" and watched as he teased her. There was something so seductive in the way that Itachi touched her. He did it knowingly, like there was no way the things he was doing to her wouldn't please her. The way he moved his hands as if he knew what made her squirm made Hinata want him more. She liked a guy who knew what he was doing.

"Take them off for me." Itachi said, sitting back on his knees between her legs. Hinata became self-conscious immediately and shook her head. Itachi gave her that look again, the look that spoke a thousand commands, and she caved. She kept telling herself she was trying to change, to not be so shy, and to trust. With a shaky breath, Hinata lifted her butt and pulled down the wet fabric. It clung to her skin, leaving a trail of dampness on her legs as she pulled them off. Itachi didn't take his eyes off her, not even to look at what was hidden beneath her panties. Hinata didn't know why but she found it so attractive.

When she took her panties off she dropped them to the floor, making a mental note to throw them away later on. She let her legs fall on either side of Itachi, the way they were before, and she watched him watch her.

"Now your bra."

He wanted her completely naked. He wanted to expose all of her beauty all at once, so that he could marvel at it in full. As he watched her take off her bra, he was overcome with fascination at how gentle she was about everything. She had this natural elegance about her and he didn't think Hinata knew she had it. She was a beautiful woman to watch, he was captivated by her movements. Then he remembered what she had said earlier, " _like they're afraid I might break or something if they're too rough with me…but that's not who I am…_ "

Itachi's gaze fell to Hinata's voluptuous breasts as they were free of their restraints. Her beautiful nipples were growing hard from the onslaught of cold air. The urge to take one in his mouth was overwhelming but he held back. Slowly, Itachi pushed her legs apart so he had open access. Her vagina lay open and waiting for him to take it, to dominate it. He looked at her to see what she was thinking. She stared at him, biting her lip in anticipation. She was waiting for him to do something, she just didn't know what.

Dipping his head, Itachi brought himself above her vagina and let his tongue touch her lips. He licked up and down her walls slowly, letting her get used to the sensation. Almost immediately she started motioning her hips in rhythm with his tongue. She moaned softly at first, her voice as soft as the pillow behind her head, but then as Itachi started to lick more rapidly, so too did her moaning.

Itachi was enjoying hearing Hinata moan. She was moaning because of him. Every time his tongue circled her clit, she moaned because _he_ was making her feel good. And that felt good. More than that, she tasted like heaven. Her clit-just a cherry nub waiting to be plucked- was delicious in his mouth and grew harder the more he played with it. He had to hold her hips down, and started massaging the inside of her thighs. They were smooth and white, like cream in a cup of coffee. God, the way she felt was fucking heaven. He could only imagine how good she would feel once he was inside her.

Itachi turned his complete attention to her nub, enveloping the entirety of it in his mouth. Hinata whimpered at the sensations this brought, and she bucked her hips into his mouth gently. He had found her sweet spot. Without warning, Itachi stuck two fingers inside the crevice of her walls and plunged them deep, letting them sit there for a moment. Hinata tensed, gripping his head like it was the most important thing in her life.

He groaned against her clit when she thrust her body into his mouth. There was something attractive about a woman holding a man's head in between her legs and thrusting into his mouth. Usually it was the other way around, which is probably why the opposite was attractive, because it was rarely seen. He fingered her as he sucked her clit, his fingers becoming drenched in her juices.

Itachi thought she had enough after she nearly pulled his hair out so he stopped and climbed on top of her. She was catching her breath, her throat probably hoarse. He admired the shade of pink on her chinks but they were about to get a whole other shade of pink. Placing a leg on either side of her, he positioned himself by her sex. He paused, looked at her.

"Have you done this before?"

She shook her head no, and then nudged her fingers together. Resting on his elbows, he brushed her hair back and gave her a warming smile. She offered a weak one in return.

"Are you ready to do this, Hinata?" He gazed into both of her eyes, searching for the truth. He didn't want to do this if she wasn't ready. He knew he promised he would be rough with her, but she deserved her first time to be sweet and passionate. He wasn't going to fuck her like she didn't mean anything. Because she meant a lot to him, and he wanted to show that to her.

"I think so…" She reached a hand out to touch his face; he leant into her hand, kissed her palm.

"You are the most graceful, elegant, most stunning woman I have ever laid eyes upon. I want to show you how much you mean to me. That I'm grateful it was you who found me that day in the forest and saved me from the brink of death. I want to be your first, and I promise it will be everything you hoped it would be."

Hinata was stunned by his sudden gentleness. She couldn't get past his change in character now that he was a free man. Looks can be deceiving, Hinata told herself. Itachi was a sweetheart; the fact that he wanted to show her his sweet side made her feel honored. She wanted him to be her first, also. Before Itachi came along, she had always believed Naruto would be her first and that it would be wonderful. But Itachi proved that things could change, and these things could be wonderful, too.

"I'm glad I found you that day, too. If I didn't then I would have missed a beautiful opportunity to meet a wonderful man." She brushed his lips with her thumb, running over them once before he took her thumb in his mouth. She smiled and went on," I want you to be my first. I know we haven't known each other for very long but I hope we have time for that after this."

Itachi took the hand that she had on his face and held it, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "We'll have all the time in the world, Hinata. I promise."

With that, he went in for a heartfelt kiss. He sighed against her mouth, she felt like home. Itachi didn't know what home felt like, exactly, but kissing Hinata felt that way. Pushing himself up, he stroked his dick a few times, making sure it was hard and ready. He placed it at the opening of her vagina; he could already feel her wetness seeping onto the tip.

"This might hurt a little," he whispered, hoping it wouldn't hurt her too much. Hinata braced herself and took a deep breath. Slowly, he pushed himself inside her warmth. Hinata yelped and squeezed his arms, trying not to dig her nails into his skin. Pain shot through her and she felt like she was being ripped apart. Itachi stayed still for a moment so she could adjust and then he slowly thrust into her. Eventually, the pain receded and was replaced with pleasure. Thrusting his dick into her vagina, Itachi groaned at how warm she was. It was like being covered in warm sand at the beach over and over again. She felt so fucking good.

"Itachi…" Hinata breathed, pulling him closer. Having him inside her was like being full to capacity and then being empty, then repeating. Each thrust caused her to lose more and more of her breath until she was gasping for air. Her legs wrapped tightly around his waist as he fucked her slowly. Itachi's dick was big from what she could feel. It hurt when he pushed too far in so he only went about half way of his length before pulling back out. She would get used to him, he thought. But until then, her pussy was tight and fitting, wrapping around his dick like a wetsuit.

Her breasts bounced with each hard thrust, moving up and then rolling back down. He suckled on her left breast, shoving as much of it as he could into his mouth. He pinched the other one, all while fucking her. He wanted her to have every pleasure available to her. Her nails clawed at his back but they did minimal damage. Her breast in his mouth made him even harder, hornier, and he began to fuck her faster. His hips thrust against her, her nipple clamped between his teeth, nowhere to escape. She screamed in ecstasy as he fucked her, she pushed her boob further into her mouth, wanting more. Itachi let go of her other breast and reached down between them to find her throbbing clit. She screamed his name once he began to rub it, wanting those creamy juices to cover his dick.

Their movements were in sync with each other. Their groans bounced off the walls of the bedroom, their bodies making a wet slapping sound on every impact, the bed as wet as the ground after a rainy night. He felt overwhelming to her but she drowned in the pleasure of being filled by him. Her clit throbbed under his thumb as he rubbed it continuously. She could feel a huge wave about to crash over the shore soon and she grabbed onto Itachi's shoulders.

"Come for me, Hinata."

That was all she needed to be pushed over the edge. With a hard thrust and a flick of his thumb on her clit, Hinata came. Her body rocked in waves, starting from her waist and continuing upward. She saw a white light behind her closed eyes and she saw Itachi, smiling down at her. Goosebumps covered her arms and legs as the sensation swept over her. She pulled Itachi close, needing him close to her. Her vagina pulsated against Itachi's dick, which was now slick with her own juices. He was still thrusting, still pumping, and loving the sight of her after coming undone.

"I don't want to cum inside you, not now. Do you mind if I…" Itachi had slowed down and let his gaze fall to her breasts to signal what he meant. Hinata nodded, still trying to catch her breath. He felt good inside her, even after she came, and she was starting to get worked up again.

A feeling overcame her and she wanted to please Itachi the way he pleased her. Feeling bold, she motioned for Itachi to move and lay down in her spot. Itachi laid his head back on her pillow, his hair falling over his shoulder. Hinata got on top of Itachi and straddled him, holding herself up on his chest. She wasn't too sure of what to do or how to position herself so Itachi took the liberty of guiding his dick inside her. He motioned for her to sit down and she came down on it slowly, her eyes falling closed as she got further and further down. She couldn't sit down all the way for it hurt to do so, so she only came down as far as she could. Itachi groaned, gripping her breasts in his hands. Hinata gave out a soft moan, tingles appearing on the back of her neck when he caressed her breasts.

Itachi wanted to scream but all he could do was groan as he watched his delicate goddess ride him. She was a sight to be seen as she sat up there, guiding him in and out of her. She was in heaven, he could tell from the look on her face. He was right there with her.

"You like riding me, Hinata?" He asked, reveling in her warmth. He squeezed her boobs and twisted her nipples, causing her to arch her back and come down at a different angle, making him groan deeper. She nodded in response, not breaking rhythm. His hands fell down to her hips and he grasped them firmly.

"You are a goddess, Hinata." He had to fuck her, like really fuck her. She was so stunning and pure, it drove him crazy. Gripping her hips, he began thrusting into her with rapid speed. Hinata screamed in pleasure as he fucked her vagina, his dick slapping against her walls, making her drip down her thighs.

"Ohh, Hinata," He breathed, feeling his body becoming tense the more he thrust. He watched her face distort in this glazed-over expression as she looked down at him. Looking into her eyes, he felt her give herself to him. She was his to have, and nobody else would have her. He would show her how good she made him feel. He hoped he was doing a good job so far.

"Itachi!"

Itachi thrust himself inside her quickly, feeling the buildup coming. With a heavy groan, he pulled his dick out of her and let his cum lose on her chest and stomach. It shot up and made haphazard designs on her body, making her skin slick and creamy. His body warmed as he let it out, his eyes twitched closed and he gripped Hinata's ass. He stroked himself slowly, letting himself wind down from the blow. He sighed when he finally relaxed, and opened his eyes to see his angel covered in his juices, and he couldn't help but chuckle.

A/N: I am so sorry for leaving you guys on that cliffhanger! Really I am. I couldn't wait to write this part and when I did start, I didn't like it so I scrapped it and made this. Oh my god. It was hard, you guys. Usually I'm good about this stuff but there's been so much going on with me emotionally and around the house that it blocked my writing. So I apologize. I also did not edit this completely before posting because I didn't want to make you guys wait anymore! Also, with it being Hinata's first time, I never wrote a scene like that before where it hurt. I didn't experience pain my first time so I don't know how it feels, so pardon me if it seems like I rushed through it. I wish there was a way I could warn you guys when I won't be uploading or when I will be but alas, I don't have a way.

Thank you so so so SO much for your reviews; they seriously made me laugh and smile. I appreciate your feedback; it's what encourages me to keep this story going. I'm thankful for all of you who have stuck with me through this and have been patient. I appreciate your reviews and your comments, because seriously, you guys are funny! Haha. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter, and let me know if you did or not. =)


	10. Chapter 10

Itachi took a walk the next morning. He woke up at dawn and had to slip out of Hinata's bed as gently as possible so he didn't wake her. She was sound asleep. No training for her today, Itachi mused as he brushed her feathery bangs out of her eyes. When she slept, Hinata had the most peaceful expression written across her body. Itachi wondered if he ever looked like that when he slept. Not likely, he concluded as he put his clothes on.

Stepping outside, he took a breath of fresh air, turning his gaze upward. The smell of bark and flora invaded his nostrils. He strode leisurely toward the forest, needing to keep himself hidden. It wasn't smart to walk about the premises of his old village; anyone could spot him at any given moment. He had to be careful. Nobody liked someone invading their home unexpectedly, especially someone as dangerous as Itachi, who used to reside within the very same walls. A jagged edge of something sharp poked him somewhere deep inside. Konoha used to be his home; he used to have family there. Itachi rubbed his eye with the palm of his right hand, stopping for a moment to get his mind on track.

Now was not the time to dwell on the past, Itachi told himself. This time, he would need to think about the future. A future with Hinata. That put a smile on his face. He saw himself waking up in the morning, cradling her in his arms. He liked this feeling, of being able to look forward to something new. Nothing made Itachi happy, not since his younger years. He was all work and no play. But now that he had left the Akatsuki with no intention of going back, he was able to create a new set of hopes, goals, and desires. Itachi had an endless supply of happiness at his fingertips; all he had to do was grab hold of it.

Itachi stopped at a small stream, knelt down and let the current pass through his fingers. It was a cool sensation on this warm day. As he ran his hand carelessly through the steady stream, he contemplated his future. Now was the time to make a move to build his future. He was out of the Akatsuki, he was healed and healthy; and he had a bright outlook on things. He knew what he wanted and that was to be with Hinata. Hinata wanted to be with him. Something fuzzy trickled and buzzed inside his stomach, a flutter. Itachi had never had the possibility to say that someone wanted to be with him in this particular way. It was a brand new experience but, Itachi realized, it was welcomed because it made him happy.

But, Itachi's forehead creased in despair, they couldn't be together. In a sense, they both came from two different worlds that didn't accept each other. It wasn't as simple as two clans being at war with each other. It was that he was a member of a criminal organization that abandoned the very village she resides in and tried to capture their jinchūriki. He couldn't simply waltz into the village and act as if he had done nothing wrong. No, this decision would be costly.

And then a peculiar thought echoed in his cerebrum. What if he left? What if this thing he shared with Hinata was just a figment of his imagination, a side effect of the injuries he had done to him? He was knocked on the head quite a few times, knocked some screws loose. If he left and the feelings for Hinata stayed within him, then that meant it was real. But if he left and she faded out of his thoughts forever, what would happen then? Itachi wasn't so sure he wanted to find out. Living in a world of imagination didn't sound so bad if Hinata were in it. She was a gentle soul that calmed his broken one. They were an odd match but they seemed to fit together quite well. He didn't want to let her go, not even to find out whether or not he was being delusional. If his feelings and thoughts were this strong regarding Hinata, Itachi decided, then they must be real.

So what now, Itachi? He sighed, resting his chin on his knees. Can they run away together? Would she do that for him? How much did the village and the people mean to her? Quite a good amount, he supposed. Spending years with people and growing with them formed bonds. Would Hinata be willing to break those bonds just to be with him? He wished he had an answer to these questions but the truth was he had no clue. He didn't know how Hinata would answer them because he didn't know her for very long. They thought differently, preventing him from answering for her.

What if he asked the Hokage for permission? Surely that would be a way to turn yourself in, Itachi chuckled to himself. 'Hello, Lady Tsunade, I would like the honor of being allowed to see Hinata.' Itachi could be as humble and gentle as possible but he'd still get thrown in a cell. This seemed rather useless and was getting him nowhere. Now was the time to make a move but Itachi had none. He was fresh out of strategies and full of discouragement.

Itachi was at a loss for the first time in years. He fell backward onto the grass and sank his head onto his arms. The sound of birds and the whistling of the wind helped to calm his frantic thoughts. He let the sounds of mother earth cascade through his senses and eventually Itachi was dozing peacefully by the stream.

He didn't know how long he had been asleep for but when he awoke, refreshed with a clear conscience, he knew he wasn't alone. A presence of someone strong was very nearby and very aware of Itachi sitting by the stream. The presence moved cautiously, scoping out its prey. Itachi sat very still, not because he was afraid or wished he were invisible (which wouldn't be so bad at this particular time), but because he was calm; more calm than he'd been in a while. The presence crept closer, up in the trees he leapt from one branch to the next, making sure they were at a safe distance the entire time. Itachi just waited, gazing into the stream at the young fish that swam along the current. It wasn't long before Itachi realized who it was that was stalking him. It seemed his past had come back to grab hold of him.

He stood. The presence appeared behind him, twenty yards away. Itachi exhaled slowly, his mind already made up. Turning around so as to face the man Itachi had given up on, he met the man's gaze, which was everything but welcoming.

"Hello, Uzumaki Naruto."

"Uchiha Itachi."


	11. Chapter 11

"If you're looking for Sasuke he's not here." Naruto grunted. He stood glaring at Itachi, expecting nothing more than a battle. Of course, Naruto knew Itachi wasn't here for Sasuke. He had no reason to seek out his little brother. Rather, it was Sasuke who sought Itachi, primarily for vengeance against his clan. So the only explanation that Naruto could come up with was that Itachi was after the Jinchūriki- him. However, the atmosphere was different this time around, Naruto noticed as he observed the lone Uchiha from the distance.

Itachi was not in battle-ready formation. He just stood there, gazing at Naruto as if he were having a friendly conversation amongst friends. His body was lax, his eyes remained black. That wasn't like the elder Uchiha. Although he was normally the silent type, Itachi hadn't said anything besides 'Naruto Uzumaki.' His cloak and ring were missing also. It wasn't like the Akatsuki to disband their symbol and pride of their organization.

Something was up with this setting. Was this a new battle strategy to catch him off guard? Not a chance that would happen. Naruto tightened his fists, remaining fully alert and aware of his surroundings.

"What are you after?" Naruto demanded.

Itachi remained lax against the harshness of Naruto's tone. Not much frightened Itachi, especially not the nine-tails Jinchūriki. He wouldn't fight Naruto, not any more. He swore to it.

From what Itachi could tell without the use of his sharingan, there was nobody else around for quite a distance. That was good. Itachi didn't need an unnecessary battle to break out right now. He had things he needed to figure out, a future to plan for. Hinata's gentle smile came into his mind's eye and there was a fluttering in his stomach. She had the most precious smile that wrapped around your heart. If Itachi wanted to keep seeing that beautiful smile he had to prevent any conflicts from occurring. Well, it seemed the trouble was finding him this time.

Itachi raised his hands in a non-threatening gesture, palms outward. Naruto didn't budge from his stance, not believing this act of 'niceness' for a second.

"I do not want to cause you any trouble, Uzumaki Naruto." Itachi had never uttered those words in the same sentence before. He couldn't believe he was attempting to play nice with the Leaf Village's Jinchūriki. He chuckled inwardly. What a turn of events. But if he couldn't believe it, could Naruto believe it?

He could only hope.

"Yeah, right. And you really didn't slaughter your entire clan and leave Sasuke all alone without any family. Give me a break, Itachi. You're nothing but scum." Naruto spat the word as if it were poison on his tongue. Itachi saw how Naruto perceived him, the worst kind of human being out there. Naruto grew up alone and without a family, so he understood what it felt like to be left alone, without any family. Itachi understood why Naruto attached himself to Sasuke, not only as his rival but also as his best friend, whether Sasuke admitted to it or not.

"Sasuke was never alone."

"What do you mean he wasn't alone? His parents were killed right in front of him and his only brother, the brother he looked up to. How do you call that not being alone?" Naruto was shouting, his blood coming to a boil. Itachi watched him, eyes unblinking.

"He had you, Naruto. You were, ARE his family. More than I could ever be. I gave up my position as brother and you fulfilled it."

Naruto seemed to be digesting this because he didn't say anything for several minutes. It was true; Naruto did fill that gap that Itachi left behind. But how good did it do? Sasuke was filled with hatred, no thanks to Itachi, and he was still out for revenge. But at least he had someone like Naruto to fight for him and want him to be happy, even though they were rivals.

When Naruto spoke his voice came out in a whisper. "Sasuke needed his older brother, he needed you. I was just in his way, trying to get one step ahead of him…I wasn't the brother he was looking for."

Itachi's reply was quick and ready,"Is that not what brothers do? Try to outshine the other and be stronger than the other? You were there for Sasuke while I merely watched from the shadows, provoked him. Yet he still seeks to rip my heart out."

"Why wouldn't he?" Naruto spat, his disdain showing on his face, "I'd be pissed at you, too, if you murdered my entire clan."

Itachi smiled at this. "Of course. I would, too."

"So what is it you want? What did you come to the Leaf Village for?"

The truth? "I wanted to die where I was born."

Naruto took a step back, shock and confusion written across his face. At first, Itachi couldn't understand why he was here at the village. He just came here when he was on the verge of dying. But, he realized that the only place he wanted to die and buried at was his home. He wanted to be with the rest of his family when it was his time. Maybe he didn't even deserve to share a space with the other Uchiha. He was the outsider after all.

"What-What do you mean?" Naruto inquired.

"I was almost dead. It is a long story, one I do not wish to go into right now, but I was attacked and on the verge of death. I thought I would die, alone here in the forest, but then an angel found me and nursed me back to health. I owe her my life after that." Itachi had his eyes closed, picturing the angel known as Hinata.

"Wait a minute. Just hold on a second. You were attacked? By who? And what angel? There's angels flying around? How come one never saved me when I was in trouble?"

Itachi was surprised at Naruto's sudden rambling. Such a child, Itachi thought with amusement. He didn't understand what Itachi was talking about, not one bit. He must have never been in love before.

"The details are for a time that is not today. The important thing is that I am not here to start a war. I just-"

His words cut off as his entire body became stiff. Itachi's muscles became restricted and were being controlled by a second party. He attempted to move his head to find the jutsu-user but he found only his eyes could move. The wielder was out of his sight-range and so he could only stare at Naruto, who looked as equally confused.

"We got him, Naruto. Thanks for the distraction."

 _Distraction?_

Coming into Itachi's peripherals was the shadow-jutsu user, Nara Shikamaru. How could Itachi be so foolish as to let himself be shadow casted? _Fuck._ This was not good. Itachi was so blinded by his own peace that he didn't realize Naruto may have been bullshitting him the entire time. _FUCK!_

"Lady Hokage will be glad to have a member of the Akatsuki under her supervision." Said Shikamaru, grinning with the pride of their simple victory.

Itachi said nothing as they went straight to the cells where criminals and prisoners were kept. That's what he was. A criminal. As they bound him in chakra-vanquishing ropes, Itachi thought he saw a glimpse of regret in Naruto's gaze. Did his words really get to Naruto? He doubted it, because if they did, Itachi probably wouldn't be sitting in this cell right now.

A/N: Hi all! I know it's been infinity since I updated this story. I got a job that's five days a week, 8 hours a day, plus online classes, so I'm a bit exhausted all the time XD However, I found new motivation to try and finish this series because I just love HINATA AND ITACHI AS A COUPLE SO MUCH! Argh! Anyway, here's another chapter, I hope you like it and are still interested. Let me know please! I love you guys!

xoxo


	12. Chapter 12

"Lady Tsunade," a messenger of the village dressed in a white cloak with spiky brown hair came rushing into the office looking a bit exasperated but nonetheless excited. The Hokage looked up through the stacks of paperwork that lay in heaps and piles all over her desk. Her face, youthful as always, seemed a bit haggard this morning. The Lady Hokage had been up for the past eighteen hours trying to finish this massive amount of paperwork. But, it seemed that no matter how many signatures she scrawled at the bottom of the pages, there was always ten more for her one done. She sighed, straightened her back that could use a good chakra induced massage, and looked at the messenger. He was anxious, she noticed, he was practically dancing with the news. She waved him to go on and get it off his chest.

 _Just another problem in the village. Always problems these days. Can't there ever just be a struck of fortune? Good luck?_

"Uzumaki Naruto ran into a member of the Akatsuki just outside the village."

"A member of the Akatsuki? But why? It's too soon to launch an attack on the village…who do we have on stand-by, Shizune?" She addressed her long-term advisor and friend to her right.

"N-no, your ladyship. That's not necessary. Uzumaki Naruto and-"the messenger had to look at his scroll to remember," Nara Shikamaru have captured him. He's in the holding cell right now. They are waiting for you."

Lady Tsunade was surprised but didn't show it. How could only two ninja capture an Akatsuki member all by themselves? And without alerting the rest of the village at that. She stood, knocking off some papers and sending them swaying to the floor. She didn't have time to worry about paperwork.

"Which member is it?" She asked the messenger as he was about to leave. He turned back toward her, glanced at his scroll and said, "Uchiha Itachi, your ladyship."

It was now that Tsunade expressed her shock. "Uchiha Itachi? But-how?" This wasn't making any sense. There was no way this could be anything other than a hoax of some sort. She had Shizune send for the Anbu and her highest ranking ninja to be placed on guard around the village.

"I was told that he didn't even put up a fight, Lady Hokage. He went quietly."

Tsunade was out the door and on her way to the holding cell before the messenger could even finish his sentence. This was not normal, not normal at all.

The Uchiha sat against the wall on the thin mattress of his cell. His hands tied at the wrists sat heavily in his lap. No movement was made, none was needed.

Itachi felt stupid. It was the first time he let his guard down. It wasn't usual for him to be taken by surprise. Much less taken as a prisoner. How often was it for him to want to start a new life? Not often, either. There's a first for everything, Itachi knew.

It wasn't long until Itachi heard the clicking of the Hokage's heels headed in his direction. He made no move to greet her or even to show sympathy. While he felt no emotion, there was a tug at his heart that she would let him go upon seeing he had no intention of harming anyone. It was quite ironic, really. Itachi was in a cell for the assumption of causing damage, but really all he was here for was to find his own peace. Funny how life can fuck you sometimes.

Itachi glanced up and saw Lady Tsunade with a surprised look on her face. Her mouth was open in awe and her body rigid. She was confused, he noted.

"I never expected to see you in a cell." She said.

Itachi didn't respond.

"Why did you come to the Leaf Village?" Tsunade began. No better place to start then right at the point.

Itachi shrugged, not wanting to give her any information she didn't need. Itachi shouldn't be in here and he blamed himself for it. All he wanted was to be free of the titles that he gave himself. Free of the words _criminal_ and _murderer_. But he fucked up and let himself be taken. How long would they keep him here? Itachi couldn't see them releasing him in the world. Not when they've tried so hard to capture him. No, he was done for. And the odds of him seeing Hinata again were slim to none.

Hinata. She had been on his mind all day. It was her he was thinking about when he went under the shadow possession jutsu. She was probably wondering where he was. He hoped she wasn't upset at his disappearance. If Hinata thought he ran away on her after their night together it would kill him. He had to see her. But he was trapped in this damn cell for who knew how long.

"The sooner you get to talking, the easier this will be."

"What would you like me to tell you, Lady Tsunade?" Itachi sat upright, meeting the woman's unwavering stare.

"What your intentions were by coming here. Who was with you?"

"Nobody."

"That's rare for a member of the Akatsuki to be alone. Where is your partner?"

"I don't have a partner anymore."

"Hoshikagi is dead? This news wasn't reported to me."

"Kisame is still alive and well."

"Then he should still be out there. And don't think we can't hold off the Akatsuki from trying to save you because we can and we will."

Itachi sighed. "I am no longer associated with the Akatsuki."

Tsunade scoffed, "Bullshit."

"I swear my life on it."

Tsunade looked at him, really looked at him for the first time since coming down here. She hadn't noticed his missing cloak, his Leaf headband that was crossed through was also missing. But both could have been misplaced or destroyed in battle. Peering at his hand his ring was missing as well. She knew very well that each Akatsuki member wore a ring on a different finger; his was his right ring finger. All that was there was the tan area left behind after wearing it for many years. His ebony hair was loose of its ponytail and hung across his shoulders in a mess. Normally, when a criminal was taken prisoner their posture was stiff and ready to battle. But Itachi remained lax unconcerned about what was going on.

Suddenly Tsunade felt like she needed a drink. Her confusion created a crease on her forehead and she felt momentarily light headed.

"First, I'm going to get a drink," she told him, "and then you're going to tell me what the fuck is going on."

The day was growing darker and still there was no sign of Itachi anywhere. Hinata was beginning to worry about everything that had transpired between them since the moment they met. When they met she was a stranger but also he was trouble. It wasn't her intention for them to meet or for her to begin to like him. She gave him a chance and this is what happened. After last night, Hinata thought things increased to the next level. Whatever that meant. But something shifted. Something in the atmosphere converted to a higher presence and Hinata felt its strong power. When she thought of the night before she got giggly and excited the way she used to when Naruto gave her his attention.

Last night had been…

Hinata had tried to describe the actions of last night in her head countless of times throughout the day. But none had even come close to describing it perfectly. It was perfectly perfect. They were together for what felt like hours, hands and lips and tongues intertwining and mingling in a heated frenzy. Hinata had never felt so vulnerable and special in her entire life.

But when she woke up his side of the bed was cold and empty and she hadn't seen him since. She expected to wake up in his arms and they'd spend the day together, pretending like they lived a casual life. When she saw that he wasn't in the house this morning, Hinata realized that they could never pretend to live a normal life. He would always be on the run from his past, and if she went with him, she'd never stop running either. Everyone knew who Itachi was and they all wanted him away from them and their families. What good could come out of being together?

Despair filled Hinata's heart. She collapsed on her bed with a frustrated sigh. The sun was getting lower and lower. Hinata hoped Itachi was okay. Even with the possibility in her mind that Itachi had used her and left she still hoped he was okay. What if he did use her? Inside her stomach it felt like a weight being dropped to the bottom of the ocean. Tears stung her eyes and she hugged her pillow, the scent of him still fresh. It made the pain of the possibility hurt even more. Hinata had given herself to him, exposing herself, leaving herself vulnerable. She had trusted him. She remembered the way he touched her, how he looked at her with such gentleness as if he cherished her. He couldn't have used her, no way. She saw it in his eyes last night. He cared about her. Hinata wiped her tears from her face and refused to believe that chance.

Itachi must have gone out somewhere, which was dangerous. If anyone from the village had seen him there would be trouble.

It hit Hinata like a kunai-bomb to the face. She jumped out of bed and ran out the door within seconds and straight toward Naruto's apartment. She didn't know why she picked Naruto to go to but she didn't stop to think about it. Her heart pounding, Hinata pumped her legs across the gravelly road, common villagers glancing her way as she passed.

Out of breath, Hinata knocked on his door. When nobody answered she knocked again. She pounded on the door, thinking he was sleeping or in the shower.

"Hinata? Is that you?"

Hinata looked to her left and saw her teammate Kiba with Akamaru at his side. Kiba had his hood down and his hands in his sweater pockets. "Are you okay? You look out of breath."

Hinata attempted to keep a casual façade, as if nothing was wrong. _Something is wrong. I know it._ As soon as Hinata realized why Itachi never came back her heart acted like a jackhammer. She prayed she was wrong and that unfortunately, Itachi did use her. Because that, at least, would mean he was still alive and safe somewhere.

"Do you know where Naruto is?" She asked, forcing a sweet smile.

"Last I heard he was with Shikamaru in Lady Tsunade's office."

"Oh, okay! Thanks, Kiba!" Hinata walked briskly passed him, heading toward her office. Maybe the Hokage knew something also.

"I heard him and Shikamaru took down an Akatsuki member outside the village." Hinata's heart went cold. Her feet glued to the ground.

"An Akatsuki member?" It was a subconscious echo more than an inquiry.

"Yeah. Itachi Uchiha."


	13. Chapter 13

Tsunade sat across from Itachi in the basement room of the prison. They were left alone in the room after Tsunade furiously told the Anbu guards to wait outside. She would call if she needed help. However, calling for help didn't seem likely as Tsunade observed the capture Uchiha.

 _The fight's out of him…_

They sat in silence for quite some time, soaking in the oddities of how they came to be here. Tsunade, a cup of sake in her hand with the bottle right beside her, turned the cup in her hand as she contemplated. Despite Itachi's lax behavior the Hokage took no chances, keeping his hands and feet bound with chakra-restricting ropes. She took a sip of her cup before she began the interrogation.

"You want to tell me what's going on?" Her gaze was directly on him, no bullshit written on her face. She'd beat it out of him if that's what it took.

Itachi sat in the wooden chair, hands secured in his lap, head bowed. As they sat in silence, Itachi had been cursing himself with regret. He was stupid for ever leaving the Akatsuki and wanting a new life. How do you join a group of criminal activity and then one day decide you don't want to do it anymore? Itachi scoffed, continuously kicking himself in the ass as the clock ticked by. It didn't matter. Itachi experienced what his life would be like after leaving the organization; it wasn't what he thought it would be. He found a woman who saved his life only so he could give it up again. _Way to repay her, eh Itachi?_

"I can sit here day and night until you talk," the Hokage said, pouring another cup of sake for herself.

"If I tell you anything you will just call me a liar and throw me in prison until I rot. If I were you I would just kill me. Wouldn't that make your job easier?" Itachi lifted his head, dragging his eyes up from the table to the Hokage's. His hair fell over his masked eyes, giving him a hooded look. Tsunade said nothing, only watched him with interest.

"So then you weren't trying to attack the village?" Tsunade asked with disbelief. The Akatsuki didn't just suddenly show up at the village simply to say "hello."

Itachi shook his head, his eyes falling back down to his lap. Tsunade sighed, rotated her neck.

"If you don't start talking I'm going to have to use force."

Itachi did not care if the Hokage used force. Either way he was stuck here. He would not get his chance to see Hinata and be with her the way they had hoped. It brought heaviness to his chest.

"I came here because I thought I was going to die."

Silence entered the room. Tsunade raised an eyebrow in question but Itachi's gaze remained pointed at the ground. His statement, although giving, was not much help in the way of answers. _What the hell did that mean?_

"Why did you think you were going to die? And why come here to do it?"

With a sigh he said, "I have left the Akatsuki."

Tsunade gasped silently, sat back in her chair as if she was smacked across the face. She regarded Itachi's hunched over posture, realized he had to be telling the truth.

"That's why your cloak, ring and headband are missing." It was more of a statement than a question but Itachi nodded in response.

"How could you- Why would you leave?" Tsunade only heard of Orochimaru leaving the organization in interest of his own personal motives. Itachi was a lifelong member, joined when he was barely an adult. Tsunade gritted her teeth, keeping herself on guard.

Itachi spoke in a low voice so that Tsunade had to strain to hear him. "I did not wish to bring death and despair to anymore people. I wanted to start fresh. But apparently that is not in the cards for me."

This was surreal. Tsunade felt like she was under a genjutsu but immediately knew that she was not. Across from her sat a defeated former member of the Akatsuki, a man who killed off every member of his clan save his younger brother. How was she supposed to accept his words with such ease? She wouldn't be the Hokage if she just believed the words he spat. Tsunade regained her composure, pushed her cup aside.

"What are the requirements for leaving the Akatsuki?" She had to gain as much information as she could to better understand the organization and their motives.

"Death, normally. But they spared my life, thinking I would change my ways as soon as I recovered. They were wrong."

"Were they not afraid of you leaking their whereabouts and information regarding their plans as soon as you recovered?"

Itachi shook his head, "There is nothing I know that the Leaf village doesn't know. You know they are coming after the nine-tails, you just don't know when. We were not informed of the time in which that would occur. The leader is on other missions currently."

She regarded him, soaked in the information. Her conscience fought against itself in her mind. She wanted to believe him, felt like she could believe him, but then her cautious and Hokage-stricken attitude forced her to doubt his words. She sighed in frustration and downed her cup of sake.

"How am I supposed to believe you?" She said rather irritated.

Itachi looked at her, shrugged. "I do not know. That's why I said this is pointless. Anything I tell you can be seen in either light."

That didn't help. She wanted backup. A reason she could believe him. A sign from someone higher up that this was a gift on her doorstep. After several seconds she sighed. She wasn't going to get a sign. Tsunade poured herself one more cup but she didn't drink it, just stared into the tiny pool of alcohol.

"Let's start from the beginning."

~W~

Itachi had told her everything; from his reasoning for wanting to leave the Akatsuki to his capture that led him here. The only thing he omitted was Hinata. He could not tell the Hokage about their encounter. If Itachi could save a life he would save hers. She didn't ask for this, for him to walk into her life. No, Hinata was innocent.

Tsunade sat back against her chair and slung an arm over the back of it. She regarded Itachi with interest. Itachi had told her everything, now it was up to her to do something with this information. With a silent signal of her hand, the Anbu guards came in. Tsunade instructed them to take him back to his cell. With that, she got up and left without saying another word.

Itachi, feeling like he had nothing left to lose, slunk onto his mattress and closed his eyes. He attempted sleep, but was only bombarded by self-hatred and fantasies of Hinata. Despite his situation, he smiled into the mattress.

~W~

He wasn't sleeping when he sensed someone outside the bars of his cell. Sleep had not come easily for him but it did lend a hand for a few hours. It's okay, though. He wasn't tired, just stiff from the cheap bed.

"Itachi!"

Hearing his name in a rushed whisper made him jump up and see who his visitor was. He was momentarily confused by the Leaf shinobi who stared at him with such anxiety that it made Itachi question if he was dreaming or not. The Leaf shinobi kept glancing over at the prison door as if expecting a barrage of Anbu members to come in and take him away. Itachi sat up, peering at the strange man.

"I do not have a lot of time. I'm sorry I did not come sooner."

Itachi walked over the bars as best he could with his feet bound at the ankles. He hopped more than he walked but he made it. Gripping onto a bar to steady himself he looked closer at the shinobi. He donned a green vest and a Leaf head band. A scar ran vertically down his left eye stopping at the center of his cheek. He did not recognize the shinobi at all, but something familiar itched at his neck.

"Who are you?" He asked.

"I will explain later. I cannot get you out right now- too many guards on watch but I have a plan. Be ready tonight, and I will get you out of here. Okay?"

"Why are you helping me?" Itachi saw the shinobi smile as if he just said the sweetest thing a guy could say.

"Because we all deserve a second chance. Here," The shinobi shoved a piece of paper into Itachi's hand and left without another word. Itachi watched the door shut and lock behind the shinobi before hopping back to his bed.

When he was seated, Itachi unfolded the piece of paper the shinobi had given him. Bringing it closer to his face so he could read it, Itachi smirked. Gazing at the words written so neatly on such a tiny piece of paper, Itachi knew the man felt familiar. Something about his aura that didn't say he was simply just a leaf village shinobi had struck Itachi when he looked at him.

' _Do not worry, Itachi. You will be free soon and have the life you always wanted.'_

"Hinata." Itachi smiled and squeezed the piece of paper in his fist. Who would have guessed that a note from an angel could restore hope to a lost soul like Itachi?


	14. Chapter 14

Tsunade sat in her chair while she concentrated. She stared hard at the surface of her desk, her brow furrowed in neat rows of wrinkles. Itachi had got to her. She didn't know what he said exactly that tugged at her heart but something he said made her come straight to her office, forbid anyone from entering, and just sit in silence.

She had been sitting there for over an hour, contemplating her next action. She had a traitor in her prison, something very rare and very exciting for the village. If she made the wrong move, took the wrong turn, the result would end up on her shoulders. It would damage her title as Hokage and, even though she didn't want to be Hokage in the first place, the title had grown on her. Tsunade found that she quite liked the responsibilities and respect that came with being the leader of the village. After all, only great ninja become Hokage.

It had been an hour and Tsunade still hadn't come to a conclusion yet. _This is ridiculous. I should just keep him locked up until he dies._ But Tsunade couldn't bring herself to give the order. Why was she feeling so weak right now? Too much Sake, she thought. Way too much. She had to cut back. She had been drinking more and more lately; probably due to all the excess work she had been given. Tsunade stretched her neck, trying to rub out the kinks. This job became too much sometimes, there was no room to breathe. It was one thing she hated about this job- the demand was great, the stress was overkill and the long nights did hell on her skin. But what could she do? There was work and ninja to look after, people to protect, alliances to be made, enemies to battle, buildings to maintain and create, kids to teach and-

Tsunade huffed. So much work, so little time. That was why the Hokage didn't have a time limit until there was a new one. You served until you died. Or resigned. That was it. But that was something Tsunade wouldn't have to worry about. What she had to worry about now was the oldest Uchiha clan member left alive. _What should I do?_

 _There's a part of me that wants to let him go. But how can a Hokage do that without leaving the village vulnerable? It's my job to protect the people, not put them in danger. If I let him go he could come back and attack the village, kill everyone, take Naruto…Come on, woman! Think with your brain, not your boobs. What if he 'escaped?' That couldn't go against me. Hell, our prisons could have some faulty walls that I didn't know about._

After a moment, Tsunade sighed, falling back against her chair. _Look at you, Tsunade. Trying to help a murderer escape from your own prison. What would Sarutobi-sensei think?  
_

Sarutobi's wise eyes and gentle smile appeared in her mind and Tsunade couldn't help but feel a little guilty for what she was trying to do. She tried to reason it out in her mind, to justify it, but no matter which way she traveled, there was no justifying it. Letting Itachi go would be the dumbest action she would make since she became Hokage. Maybe she should just go against her better judgment and fulfill her duty as Hokage. Forget his seemingly honest words and his lack of spirit in him and just toss him to the fish. For the umpteenth time that sunny afternoon, Tsunade sighed. She had no choice.

Just then her office door slammed open, banging into the wall that no doubt caused some drywall to break. Startled, the Hokage's head shot up and looked at the frazzled messenger. She didn't know his name by heart but she had seen him before. His breathing was coming in large gasps as if he just ran all the way from Suna and the scent of sweat emanated from him. Despite herself, Tsunade wrinkled her nose.

"Lady Hokage," he said between breaths,"I have urgent news from the Kazekage. He sent this."

 _Maybe he did run all the way from Suna…_ Tsunade thought, half amused as she took the messenger scroll from him and unsealed it. Her eyes scanned the contents in a rush, her face growing more and more strained with each word.

"There is an attack at the village hidden in the Sand. We must send reinforcements. I need the three best teams we have on standby to get to the sand village as fast as they can. Hurry and locate them before we run out of time!" Tsunade ordered, pulling on her coat that she had discarded earlier.

"And post guards around the Leaf Village in groups of two. We don't want any surprise attacks while we're aiding the Sand."

As the messenger rushed out the door another one came flying in. Tsunade was already in the process of writing a respond note to send back to the Sand village.

"Lady Hokage, you're needed at the gates. There are members of the Akatsuki headed this way!"

 _That son of a bitch lied to me._

Tsunade's anger skyrocketed; she wanted to run down to the prison and send a fist full of chakra right at Itachi's face. _Once a traitor, always a bastard._

Tsunade quickly descended the Hokage tower, her stress level increasing her thirst for a bottle of sake.

~W~

Itachi heard shouts and the running of footsteps outside the doors of the prison. His ears perked up so he could see what all the commotion was for. Something was going on. Did Hinata do this? What was her plan to get him out? How could she get him out? If these restraints weren't cutting off his chakra he could break out of here himself. Then he wouldn't need to be rescued. Although it was kind of cute the way Hinata promised to save him. Itachi let the idea bring a smile to his face, something he wasn't used to yet.

He had hope thanks to Hinata. If she promised to break him out then he believed her. What happened after that Itachi wasn't sure, but he would worry about that later. He had to work on the now before the later.

A short while had passed without Itachi hearing anything. Maybe it was just someone having to use the bathroom. There was always stale food in the house and someone getting sick by it. Itachi assumed that's how every home was based off of his own. But, it sounded serious, the footsteps. Nobody ran unless there was an emergency, and the shouting said it was an emergency of some sort. Itachi had no idea and nothing to do but wait, so that's what he did.

Lost in thought, Itachi jumped in his bed when the prison door slammed open. His heart raced for a second, hoping it was Hinata. To see her beautiful smile again would send him into a flurry of happiness. But the man who came earlier to give Itachi the note appeared on the other side of the bars again. Itachi made his way over to him, managing to not stumble and fall on his face on the way over. The man said nothing and focused his chakra onto the restraints around Itachi's wrists. The only way these restraints could be sealed and unsealed was with a strong amount of chakra; the one doing it would need to rest and regain their energy back due to the amount required. Once they were broken Itachi was relieved to be able to move his hands freely again. He rubbed his wrists, enjoying the pleasure of his own skin. The man moved on to the ankle restraints.

"I don't have the key for the cell door." The man realized, his look of determination starting to fade away.

"I'll take care of it. Get out of here before you get caught." Itachi said, stepping back to the edge of his cell. Before the man ran out of the room, Itachi thanked him.

Itachi had to wait anxiously for some chakra to come back to him. Those restraints didn't vacuum all of your chakra up but only left some in your system. Itachi needed just an ounce more so he could use his fireball jutsu to destroy the cell. It would cause a hell of a ruckus, but by the time anyone got here he'd be gone. Looking for Hinata.

Thankfully nobody came in to check on him by the time his chakra was restored. Itachi did the necessary hand signs, passed down through the Uchiha clan, from his father to him. With one final hand sign, Itachi breathed a huge breath and his fireball jutsu came to life. It knocked into the prison doors, destroying them on impact. The walls shook with the power of his jutsu, dust from the ceiling began to fall as if the tower were going to collapse. Before anyone could figure out what was going on, Itachi left the prison and made his way toward his angel. She had saved him twice now.

A/N: Thank you guys for continuing to read this story. I'm going to end it soon and finish my other unfinished stories as well. That way I can start new ones! I wanted to make a part 2 to my Marked story, if you haven't read it already it's a Naruto+Sakura Story that I personally love. Part 2 would be the aftermath of that story so let me know if you guys would be interested in that and any other stories or couples you'd like to read about. I'm sorry if my writing is not as good as it used to be, I'm trying to get it back to that point. I don't know how many more chapters I'll be uploading before this finishes so we will see. My off days are Tues and Weds so that's why I've been uploading on these days. I just appreciate your guys' support and feedback so much so I feel guilty when I don't upload. Forgive me. Thank you again!

Xoxo~ Clover


	15. Chapter 15

As soon as he made it outside, cold air whipped across his face, making him flinch. He looked down the roads but saw no sign of villagers. Weren't people usually still out at this time? It wasn't entirely nightfall yet, so where was everybody? From what he could recall, Itachi thought the shops stayed open till well past the rising of the moon. Looking at the houses as he walked by, Itachi noticed none of the lights were on inside either. Strange.

Maybe his memory was foggy. Still, though, something did not seem right. Something in the atmosphere was off. It was not an accident that the Hokage let a criminal slip through the bars of the village prison. How often did that happen? There were no guards in sight, no people on the streets. A familiar feeling crept into his mind, a time so many years ago when Sasuke was just his sweet little brother. Before Itachi pushed him toward the path of hatred and emptiness. He could still hear the distinct sounds of fear and confusion in Sasuke's voice as his eyes fell upon the bloody work of Itachi's own hands. "Big brother...?"

Tears stung his eyes at the pain in Sasuke's voice. That night changed everything. Would this night change everything again?

Something was definitely happening and before he would find out what it was, Hinata was his first and only priority. Nothing else mattered right now except her. Itachi made his way toward Hinata's home, hoping she would understand his absence. He leapt from rooftop to rooftop until he reached her door. His brow furrowed in confusion when it was unlocked, he pushed it open to reveal a dark and empty space.

Heart pounding, Itachi heard a loud commotion toward the entrance of the village. Not wasting a moment to spare, Itachi made his way over there, hoping whatever was going on did not involve him or Hinata. Itachi cursed silently. If anything fell on Hinata's shoulders because of him, he'd never forgive himself. The thought of hurting another person in his life caused an ache deep in his gut. He could not let that happen again. He forbade it.

~W~

The Hokage stood at the forefront of the ranks of ninja, her face as cold as the hearts of the men standing yards away. The wind rustled her bangs and her coat, sending a slight chill down her neck. Despite the countenances of the Akatsuki members, Tsunade remained calm. This was certainly not her first encounter with the organization, nor would it be her last. The responsibility to protect the people of this village weighed heavily upon her as she prayed to the Third for the strength she needed.

Teams of three grouped at the village gates, prepared to take on the enemy that stood before them. The prized possession they thought the Akatsuki was after, Naruto Uzumaki, stood to the right of Tsunade, his anger kept to a boil. Kakashi, with his Konoha headband lifted to uncover his sharingan, stood by his side, both as a guard and as a teammate. The rest of the ninja, jonin and higher rankings alike, guarded the entrance to the village, their senses on high alert.

This was the first time the Hokage was prepared before an attack was launched on the village. This should be a relief, but it only set Tsunade's hairs on end. It meant they were planning something different, possibly even more chaotic then what Tsunade was used to. Her gaze leveled with all three men. She knew all of them by name and village. Standing on the left was Sasori of the Sand Village, or the puppeted-embodiment of him. In the middle was Deidara from the Stone Village. And last was Kisame of the Mist Village. All very powerful, making for a very intense battle. She breathed slowly.

"Looks like the welcome wagon has arrived," said Deidara.

"What is it you want?" Tsunade spat.

"That's no way to greet guests of the village. We might have to speak to your council about replacing you as Hokage," Deidara laughed," you can come home with me instead."

"Quiet, Deidara." Sasori said. Deidara smirked but kept his mouth shut.

"We've come to collect a sort of payment." The shark-like monster chimed in, his hand resting behind him on the hilt of his sword.

"What payment are you talking about? The Leaf Village has never and will never make any kind of deal with the likes of you." The Hokage informed the three men who waited patiently near the lining of the forest.

"That's where you're wrong. You leaf folk are always so quick to believe in the good of the people. Such a pity." Deidara mused.

"What the hell are they talking about?" Naruto growled, his anger growing by the minute. He wanted to fight already; Kakashi rested a hand on Naruto's shoulder to keep him still. No sudden moves. If a conflict could be avoided they would try their best to do so.

"He needs to hurry up already. I have better things I could be doing." Sasori said.

"Who is he talking about?" Kakashi asked openly, peering into the forest for any more members. But all he saw were vast distances of trees and nature. Whatever they wanted, they were already in the process of getting it.

Itachi looked toward the gates of the village atop the roof of an empty shop. He could see everyone, even the Hokage, guarding the Akatsuki from entry. What the hell were they doing here? Itachi had no knowledge of their plans to invade Konoha and capture the Nine-tails. Was this a new plan conjured by Pain? Cursing, Itachi activated his sharingan, his heart thumping in his ears. Where was Hinata? He didn't see her among the crowd.

"Hello, Big Brother."

Itachi whirled toward the masculine voice that belonged to his younger brother, Sasuke. It was different now; it leaked with poisonous intent for revenge. Itachi surveyed his brother, having not seen him in years it was almost warming to his heart to see his kid brother. But the look in Sasuke's eyes showed that this wasn't a happy family reunion. Sasuke was here with a vengeance, a purpose Itachi made Sasuke swear to gain as soon as he gained enough hatred.

 _What have I done to you, Sasuke?_

"You seem surprised to see me. Were you expecting a hug?" Sasuke said sarcastically.

It wasn't surprise as much as shock that overtook Itachi when his eyes landed on the cloak Sasuke donned. Sasuke's face lit up in a vile smirk.

"Believe it or not, we're actually the same size. It fits rather nicely, do you think?"

"That's my cloak?" Itachi breathed in disbelief. A pit opened in the center of his stomach, sinking deep, deep down. How could Sasuke take his place in the Akatsuki? What was happening?

"I got your ring, too. Kept my headband, though. Carved through it myself, with your face in mind."

"Sasuke what are you doing? You do not want to be with them."

"I'm doing exactly what you told me to do, big brother. I finally have a heart full of rage and loathing all because of you, and now I'm going to kill you."

Itachi's throat went dry. He tried to swallow but he couldn't conjure up enough saliva to do it. He glanced toward the gates, glad to see no fighting had broken out yet. It seemed as if they were waiting for something- for Sasuke. They didn't realize Itachi and Sasuke were here, which was a blessing. He quickly scanned the crowd again but saw no sign of Hinata's midnight violet hair.

"Oh, I think this belongs to you." Sasuke stepped to the side, displaying Hinata tied up and gagged, anger and fear in her eyes. She tried saying something to Itachi but her words were inaudible due to the cloth in her mouth. He saw a steak of blood running down her chin and an open cut by her left temple. He had hit her, which meant she put up a fight. Or he was just that cold inside. She struggled helplessly and Itachi's heart clenched. On impulse, he ran and jumped over to the building they were on. Instantly, he was repelled backward and before he hit the building behind him, he teleported onto the roof. Itachi regained his senses quickly but made no move to dart forward again. He stood and glared at Sasuke, his own anger coming to rise.

"Is she precious to you, big brother? Are you in love?" Sasuke sneered, grabbing Hinata by her hair and shaking her head. She tensed at the pain and tried to fight him off.

"What is it you want, Sasuke?" Itachi's tone was dark and malicious. Despite his desire for peace Itachi wanted to beat the shit out of his brother.

"I want to kill you. And I'm going to. Meet me at the Uchiha hideout or she dies."

"No, wait-"

Before Itachi could make it to them, Sasuke was gone, and so was Hinata. Breathless, the elder Uchiha fell to his knees, dismayed. Itachi clenched his hands as he tried to control his anger. He couldn't fight his brother, despite everything he had done to make Sasuke want him dead. If Itachi fought, somebody would die. If he didn't fight, somebody would die. For the first time in Itachi's life, he felt helpless.

 _What the hell do I do?_

 _A/N: God, I am a terrible writer. Sorry sorry sorry for dragging. I'm dreading writing the rest of this because there's ways it can go and I'm scared. But I'm writing, and writing, and writing, chugging along. Thank you for the reviews and the love, I really appreciate it. Everyday I think about this story and how I need to post more chapters and even though I don't, im continuously thinking of what will happen next. Tell me what your thoughts are and I hope you enjoy!_

 _Xoxo- Clover_


	16. Chapter 16

" _If we help you, what do we get in return?"_

" _My allegiance. I will help you carry out your plans."_

 _A laugh echoed through the room. "You're allegiance does not benefit me. However, those eyes of yours do."_

" _My eyes?"_

" _Hmm," the man considered this for a moment, rethinking, "Taking your eyes would be a whole process. Very well. Your allegiance will suffice. Once we get him free you belong to me. Is that understood?"_

 _With a shaky breath the woman held her chin high, nodded. The man was gone in an instant, leaving Hinata alone._

~W~

Hinata knew what she was signing away when she made the deal with the Akatsuki. She had been foolish. There were plenty of other ways she could have gotten Itachi out. But none were as swift and successful as hers had been. After hearing what the Hokage wanted to do to Itachi Hinata had to act fast. She was surprised she even accomplished the whole thing. Finding even just one member was difficult, but somehow she managed to do it. And now she was tied up as bait for Itachi. How embarrassing.

She sat against a dilapidated wall that had so many cracks it was a miracle it remained upright. The floor was dusty and cobwebs were tangled in her hair. She was forced to breathe through her nose, the cloth pulling her mouth so taught it was starting to burn. After struggling with the restraints for hours Hinata finally took a break. Her energy was depleting and she was making no progress. She hated that she had to wait for Itachi so this would be over.

But what exactly would be over?

Hinata knew that this was an enormous mistake. Meeting Itachi, taking him in, and helping him- that could be forgiven. But she should have never let her heart get so attached to him. Falling in love with him was a stupid idea, but it was something she could not change. She loved the man, which is why she made the deal with the Akatsuki. To save him. When she overheard the Hokage talking about a plan to "extract and execute," Hinata felt like the world was shaking beneath her feet. She couldn't help but feel a bit of resentment toward the Hokage for attempting to hurt the one person who saw her for who she was.

Before vanishing, Hinata saw the fear in Itachi's eyes. It scared her. If a shinobi as brave and ruthless as Itachi could be just as afraid as she was then anything was possible. Before ever meeting Itachi, Hinata never thought of him. Sure she knew of Sasuke and his history, but what reason did she have to wonder about Itachi? Her general assumption about him and all the other Akatsuki members was that they were criminals who caused harm and pain to others for some unknown reason. But knowing him now…Hinata couldn't see a cold-blooded killer in Itachi. He wasn't a monster like she assumed he would be. Itachi was kind, gentle, his soul was in his eyes, open for display. It was her heart that told her she needed to save him. She loved him, and that look of fear in Itachi's eyes meant he loved her.

Filled with an aching longing that overwhelmed her, Hinata focused all of her energy into her bound wrists. These were not chakra restraints, merely metal chains wrapped very securely around her wrists. If she focused hard enough, with the right amount of chakra, Hinata knew she could break the chains and escape.

But then what about Itachi? He would most likely be on his way here right now. If he came and she was gone, then he would face his brother alone. Hinata chewed on her lip. Would he win? How strong w _as_ Itachi? She didn't really get to see him fight but she knew he was strong, stronger than most shinobi. And what about Sasuke? Did he really have the strength to defeat his older brother, after all these years? There were too many questions and not enough answers. Hinata couldn't leave Itachi to fight his brother alone. If she had known this fight was part of the plan she never would have asked for the Akatsuki's help. It was too risky. The thought of losing Itachi, permanently, did something to Hinata that she could not explain. She couldn't fathom the idea. Once she broke out of her chains, she would hide. Then when Itachi showed up she would fight alongside him. And maybe, just maybe, they would both make it out of this alive.

~W~

Itachi was racked with despair and regret. His little brother had taken the only girl who loved him, the only girl he ever loved, and used her as leverage. It burned a hole through his heart. He caught himself wondering how Sasuke could use a human being as bait when Itachi himself had murdered so many people in one night. _Evil runs through the family…or maybe we're just cursed._

He knew he should have gone straight to the hideout but something pulled Itachi in the opposite direction. The hideout was not far from where he was so he would only take a moment. Standing between two headstones he never visited once, Itachi felt more alone than he had ever felt. Reading the engraved markings, they said "Uchiha Mikoto, loving mother and devoted wife," "Uchiha Fugaku, loving father and devoted husband." They said nothing more. No more words to honor the heroic acts his father had done for the village. No words for how brave his mother had been that night. Nothing. Even after their death the Uchiha clan was still nothing more than an idea. A thought. History.

"I'm so…." Itachi could not finish his sentence because he knew that saying sorry would not bring them back. None of his family would ever come back. He couldn't help it. Falling to his knees in between the marked graves of his parents, Itachi wept for the family he lost and the actions that caused it. He wept for the brother who's heart he crushed and future he destroyed. Quake after quake of utter sadness rocked through Itachi's body, encompassing his mind, heart and soul. The emptiness and pain he felt was more unbearable then being in the Tsukiyomi. He'd choose that torture over this any day.

"I'm sorry, mom and dad. I'm so sorry. I miss you guys so much."

His face was red now, the tears disappearing underneath his chin. Strands of hair clung to his wet cheeks, matting together. Then, a light breeze swept passed him. It encircled him, embraced him. Leaves caught in the breeze danced around him in an almost dance, almost as if they symbolized a story. Itachi sniffed, feeling the warming wind across his face. He felt as though someone was with him, but when he looked around he was sure nobody was there. His eyes returned to the headstones on his parent's graves. A leaf fell out of the current of the wind and onto Itachi's lap. Picking it up he felt an electric current shoot through his fingers and shoot through his entire body. Itachi did not know what to think, only that the pain he was feeling did not feel as intense as it did just a moment ago. Wiping the tears from his face, Itachi stood. Sending one last prayer to his parents, Itachi made to leave. It was time to face his brother and the past he was trying to run away from. Before Itachi could move two feet, a whisper as gentle as the wind through the trees, reached Itachi's ears. He stopped cold, his breath caught in his throat.

" _We love you."_

 _ **A/N:**_ Alright, you guys, your reviews are so straightforward they make my heart stretch in thirty different directions! Thank you for loving this story so much, I personally enjoy it myself and I really honestly think I could do better if I sat down and wrote every day. I'll do better in my next fanfic. Really, though thanks for the support. I love this couple and I'm really happy to write this story. I am going to do my very best to keep chapters coming up. I do not know how much longer this story will be, I do know how the rest will go I just don't know how long the chapters will be. With that said, I would like to get ideas for another story. Any particular couples, ideas, interests, anyone has? I'd love to write an ItaHina story again, wouldn't that be lovely? Haha. I'm going to work on the next chapter right now and hopefully have it up tonight or tomorrow. Please be patient. I know I made you wait for way too long. I apologize.

Xoxo- Clover


	17. Chapter 17

"And here I thought you weren't going to show up."

"Where is she?" Itachi said, not sensing Hinata in the vicinity. If he touched her there would be consequences.

"She's safe. For now."

Itachi stared down his brother. The building was wide and vast, stone walls all around, cracked and bruised. There was no light due to the building being empty for so many years, but both brothers had their sharingan activated, making the other as visible as the moon. Itachi stepped further into the building, his low pony-tail swaying at his back. He moved cautiously through the building, keeping his peripheral vision on his surroundings. Sasuke sat in a high throne, watching him just as attentively. He was calm, not angry like he sounded back at the village. Itachi suspected Sasuke had controlled his anger because he knew he would get the chance to fight him and kill him. Itachi also suspected he was eager to kill him to finally kill the rage that had built up over all these years. _Nothing will quiet that ache in your heart, little brother._

"Sasuke-" Before Itachi knew it a katana blade was thrust through the center of Itachi's chest. His eyes widened in shock, blood spurting from his mouth, dripping down his chin. Sasuke had appeared behind him rather quickly, his right hand gripping the hilt of his katana and the left hand pressing it into Itachi's back. The sound of tearing flesh and cracking ribs was lost on Itachi as the pain shot through his core.

Sasuke smirked. But Itachi was gone.

"Are you that eager to rid this world of my existence, little brother? Or are you just impatient?" Itachi said from a spot across the room. Sasuke stood, sheathing his katana at his waist.

"The sooner I can avenge our family the better."

Itachi contemplated this for a moment. "I have told you many things, Sasuke. Things I should have never spoken; things a brother should never tell his most cherished sibling."

"Cherished?! You expect me to believe you when you say you cherish me?!" Sasuke exploded.

"What you believe and what you know are two entirely different concepts. Knowledge is what people use to create their realities and live accordingly. You, Sasuke, have been told that your family was slaughtered and you were the sole survivor. You believe this because you know it is true. You assume I acted out of greed and self-motivation, that I killed our parents in cold-blood and did not flinch when their bodies fell to the floor."

"Just what are you getting at?!" Sasuke was seething from having this conversation. What was Itachi going on about? Everyone knew Itachi wiped out the clan for his own desires.

"That I acted on my own and out of sheer selfishness is a lie. It is a fantasy your knowledge has created in your mind because you, Sasuke, do not have all the facts. And so you are angry and what revenge for the family you lost. Yet you still do not have enough hatred."

Sasuke's eyes grew in shock as he listened to Itachi's words. "Not enough hatred….Do you know what I sacrificed?!"

"Do you know what I sacrificed for the fate of the village?" Itachi whispered. Silence consumed them and nobody moved, lost in their own regrets.

"I do not want to hurt you any more than I already have, little brother."

"Then this will be easy for me." Sasuke muttered, hatred dripping from his tongue.

He charged at Itachi full throttle, prepared to end this once and for all. Itachi had lived too long in Sasuke's mind. He should have killed him sooner but he wasn't strong enough. Now he was. After training with Orochimaru and taking on Orochimaru's abilities, Sasuke was finally confident he could kill his older brother. The fact that it was his flesh and blood didn't faze him. It sure as hell didn't faze Itachi.

Sasuke threw two kunai in Itachi's direction but he repelled them with his own. Sasuke swung at his brother's head but he missed. Every punch and kick and jab Sasuke threw at Itachi he dodged, evaded or blocked. Sasuke didn't give up though. He wasn't ready to stop; he just wanted his brother to feel just as badly as he had felt all these years. So he kept going, and he kept missing.

"Fight back! Why aren't you fighting back!" Sasuke shouted, aiming a fist straight for Itachi's head. Right before impact Sasuke fell low to the ground and swept his leg at Itachi's legs. Caught off guard, Itachi fell to the ground. He had him.

Katana in hand, Sasuke raised it and brought it down with a heavy blow. He spared no seconds because he knew what his brother was capable of. Sasuke enjoyed the heart-wrenching sound of blood pooling in his brother's throat, making him cough. Eyes wide with murderous victory, Sasuke breathed heavily as he stared into his older brother's dying gaze.

"Still not enough hatred." Itachi's voice whispered in Sasuke's ear. As soon as Sasuke realized it had been a shadow clone he killed, Sasuke was sent flying across the room from a heavy kick to the back. The wall shook and broke as Sasuke's heavy body collided with it before falling to the ground. The breath was stolen from his lungs.

"Dammit, Itachi." Sasuke whispered, picking himself up. He still hadn't regained his breath but it would come back.

"I do not want to fight you, Sasuke. Let's end this and go our separate ways. Please."

"You think saying please is going to help you? You're going to have to do a lot more begging than that."

Sasuke's sharp sphere chidori was activated instantly and directed toward Itachi. The older Uchiha dodged and ran clockwise toward Sasuke as he tried to hit Itachi with his chidori. Itachi came up close to Sasuke's right side but then disappeared and reappeared on his left, kicking Sasuke in the stomach and knocking him backward. These were light blows Itachi was doing, if only to ruffle Sasuke up a bit. Fighting was not the answer and hurting Sasuke is something Itachi could not forgive himself for.

"Come on! Why are you taking an easy on me?! Fight me!" Sasuke yelled in frustration. Sasuke used the chidori senbon jutsu and a thousand chidori needles shot out at Itachi, who attempted to dodge them but got hit in his left knee. His leg was locked in place; no matter how hard he tried he couldn't move it. Itachi cursed under his breath.

"Sasuke, if you would listen to what I am trying to tell you-"

"Everything that comes out of your mouth is a _lie_. Why would I believe anything you tell me? You murdered our family!"

Itachi's heart sank yet again. He felt the longing and loneliness in Sasuke, his need for a family. Overwhelmed with regret and self-anguish, Itachi tried to explain, despite how futile it seemed. "I changed, little brother. I left the Akatsuki to gain a better life…a different perspective. I"

"Did you come looking for me?" Sasuke muttered, his voice deep.

"What?"

Sasuke's gaze leveled with Itachi's, his countenance taking on a grave expression.

"When you left the Akatsuki…did you, once, try looking for me?"

Itachi was speechless. No. Itachi hadn't gone to look for Sasuke. It hadn't occurred to him that he _should_ look for Sasuke. What good would have come from it? Clearly, Sasuke wanted him dead. So if he did go looking for him he would have walked right into his own grave.

"No, you didn't. You say you want a new life and a chance to start things over. Yet your cherished brother wasn't even a part of your plan."

A gruesome silence filled the space between the two brothers. Sasuke's words echoed in Itachi's head, filling him with aching grief and more regret.

"Sasuke, when I left the Akatsuki-"

"Save it!" Sasuke growled, heated tears brimming in his eyes, his sharingan gloomy, "I don't care what you did! You're already dead to me."

Itachi's leg was still paralyzed, although some feeling was slowly coming back. Sasuke was angry and wracked with despair. Itachi wanted to hug him and be the older brother he always wanted to be but never had the chance to. It was his job as the eldest sibling to take care of him and teach him the ways of life. All Itachi had done was teach him how to hate and trust nobody. Itachi deserved to die, and it was only right that Sasuke be the one to do it.

"Sasuke. I love you. I want you to remember that." Itachi whispered, the fight in his eyes had dimmed.

"Shut up."

Sasuke, chidori activated, charged at his older brother with no other thought besides having to end his suffering. Itachi remained stock still, his struggling had ceased. He had accepted his fate the moment he saw his brother's tears. Itachi closed his eyes. He did not want to see his death.

~W~

He heard the ringing sound of a thousand birds and also heard it be immediately cut off right before impact. Itachi opened his eyes and Sasuke was gone.

Hinata was standing there, slightly arched over with her arm extended. Following the direction of her arm showed Sasuke at the end across the room, sprawled out on the floor. Itachi's heart thundered like a wave of a thousand ninja sprinting across a battlefield and he almost couldn't breathe. Seeing her was like a wave of fresh air after being suffocated for too long. Those crystal angelic eyes met his and his arms were instantly around her. His grip was so tight Hinata was forced to giggle. Feeling her arms wrap around his torso was the best feeling Itachi had ever experienced. She smelled of sweat, blood and shampoo and he loved it. Hinata squeezed him as tight as she could, never wanting to let go. The time she spent wondering where he was and being without him had caused a rift to open in her stomach. Itachi heard her sniff into his neck and felt a wetness slide down under his shirt and he pulled her closer, kissing her hair. Her grip tightened. She, too, had missed him.

A/N: ALRIGHT! THE END!...Just kidding. I don't know about you guys, but I think the best part of this chapter was the ending. I'm better with romance than fighting, right? It took hours to write this chapter because I'm not good with battle scenes! I watched a bit of the original fight between them and I tried to incorporate things without copying, I tried to put words into their actions and it's difficult. I need to work on that. I hope you guys like it, sorry for the late update, I'm tired after work lol. Ugh, ITAHINA love, it's mesmerizing! Lemme know what you think. And thank you for the reviews and the love !

Xoxo- Clover


	18. Chapter 18

Itachi pulled away just enough to look at Hinata's face, which was now smiling through a small stream of tears. It felt as if his heart sighed at the very sight of her. He stroked her cheek with his thumb, wiping a tear away. Despite their current situation, Itachi felt a heavy pressure on his shoulders go lax as he held his angel in his arms. She was alive and safe and he could not be happier. Now he just wanted to go home. Wherever home was, that is. As long as he had Hinata, Itachi didn't care where he was.

"Stop crying, angel. I'm here now." Itachi muttered, giving her a reassuring grin. It seemed to only break the seal more as more tears broke through. Itachi wished he could kiss them all away and carry her out of here but he knew it was only a matter of seconds before Sasuke attacked them.

"I have to finish this. I want you to get out of here." Now that Itachi found her he wanted her somewhere safe.

Hinata shook her head as she dried her face on her sleeve. "I'm not leaving you. If Sasuke's going to fight you then I'm going to help. It's not fair but I can't just stand back and let it happen."

Itachi wanted to protest and say that this was not her fight. It wasn't her fight, really, but Sasuke _did_ use her as bait so she was technically involved. Still, though, Itachi had to look out for her now. Not because she was weak, she was far from it, but because he loved her. He loved her presence and the way she made him feel. Itachi could feel his life changing just by adding her into it; great things were going to happen. If Sasuke didn't kill him first.

Turning toward his brother, Itachi's guard remained up but his eyes had softened. Still, he did not want to fight. Especially his only brother. Sasuke, who was now getting up, did not look any less ready to kill him. Itachi sighed.

"Let's end this, Sasuke. I do not want to fight you." Itachi tried talking his way through once again.

Sasuke spit on the ground, snarling at Itachi with more grimace than he had before. He didn't respond with words this time, only actions.

Instantly the two went at it. It was kunai against katana and the strength difference was not vast. Sasuke was stronger than he was when he was just a teen, but Itachi had years of experience. They both held each other at a breaths distance, their arms shaking with the weight of the force. At last they separated, Itachi hurling shuriken as a distraction so he could appear behind Sasuke and strike him. Sasuke was quick, though, expecting this tactic and creating a clone that took the blow instead. Instantly, Itachi charged for his brother and landed a punch to the side of his head. Before Sasuke hit the wall Itachi kicked him with all the force of a giant, making Sasuke slam into the ground in the blink of an eye. Sasuke lay on the ground, motionless.

"Is he…?" Hinata muttered from the background, watching Sasuke's still body. Itachi watched him also, knowing it wasn't over.

"Get up, Sasuke." Itachi said in a deep voice. He was getting irritated.

"It seems like you really want to kill me now." Sasuke spoke through a stitch in his side.

"I do not want to kill you. But if I do not fight then you will never stop coming after me."

"You're right about that. You deserve every ounce of pain you have coming."

"Have you not done things in your life that you regret, Sasuke? Or are you God's perfect creation?" Itachi was beginning to realize that his little brother was gradually losing his mind. He was not just out for avenging his fallen clan, he was out for blood. The thirst for Itachi's blood was so strong it was beginning to warp Sasuke's mentality. This realization added to the pain Itachi felt for betraying his clan. In trying to save Sasuke's life, Itachi had only made it worse, whereas killing him would have been more merciful. Losing one's mind had neither reality nor knowledge, but was merely fantasy wrapped in hallucination.

"The things I've done I did to get where I am now. To regret that would mean I regret standing here in this very spot. I have nothing left to lose. Everything I had worth losing was taken from me the night you betrayed our family."

"I told you how I regret my actions and I take judgment for them yet you still wish to end my life. I will live with the regret and pain for the rest of my life and try to avenge our clan in my own way. Why you cannot do the same is beyond my understanding."

The wild anger in Sasuke's gaze only proved Itachi right about his mental stability. He was ferociously angry, like an untamable fire that raged on for months, killing everything in its path. It brought a wave of depression to Itachi that his brother let his anger and sorrow destroy him like this. Perhaps walking into a village full of dead family members scarred him worse than Itachi ever expected. Watching him now, he knew Sasuke would only be a threat to himself and everyone he came in contact with. He was seething, practically drooling with rage like an infected animal.

"I can't forgive you. Despite your reasons for killing our clan you ruined my life. I can't breathe while you stand there living while our parents lie in graves!"

Hinata watched as Sasuke did the seal for his fireball jutsu and Itachi, recognizing his motions, did the same. The building was instantly lit from the flames, both fireballs merging in the center and growing larger. They held out for several minutes, neither of them giving in. Whoever emerged as the victor from this battle would walk away with more pain than when they started. She could not lose Itachi, but if he came out of this alive she knew Sasuke wouldn't. Either way somebody was going to die.

Movement out of the corner of Hinata's eyes caused her to turn toward the doorway of the building. Her eyes grew in alarm. She ran toward Itachi and pulled out a kunai, guarding his back. She knew what they were here for but didn't want to take any chances with Itachi's back being turned.

Sensing chakra, Itachi threw three kunai bombs at Sasuke and redirected his jutsu toward the entrance at the two Akatsuki members. They dodged rather easily, the wall taking all the damage.

Itachi grabbed Hinata and created distance between Sasuke and the two Akatsuki. Now Sasuke was on his left and they were on his right. Hinata immediately took up battle position and activated her Byakugan.

"What are you doing here?" Itachi questioned, tension forming on his shoulders.

"We can ask you the same thing." Sasori said as him and Deidara walked closer to the middle of the room.

"This does not concern you." Itachi stated, wanting to both run and protect Hinata.

"I'm afraid it does."

"Sasuke is my brother and this is our fight. Leave now."

"Oh, we're not here for Sasuke," Deidara assured, his tongue licking the rim of the mouth in his hand, "we're here for her." He said, pointing directly at Hinata.

Itachi immediately guarded Hinata from them, pushing her behind him with all the force he could muster without knocking her on her feet.

"What are you talking about?"

"I guess she didn't tell him." Sasori chuckled.

"Tell me what?" Itachi directed toward Hinata, meanwhile keeping his attention on the three threats in front of him.

"Your little princess made a deal with your former family," Sasuke spat, smirking with all the evil of the leader of the Akatsuki. In the back of Itachi's mind, he realized if Sasuke stayed with the Akatsuki, the ninja world would no longer be the same.

"I- I'm sorry, Itachi…I was desperate and I didn't want you to…" Hinata stuttered, nervous with the backlash of her decisions.

"It's okay, angel. You're not going anywhere."

"That's not how this works, Uchiha, you know that. Hand over the girl and you can continue playing with your brother." Deidara sniggered.

"She's not going anywhere." Itachi said, gripping Hinata's arm. Itachi's heart fell in his chest. All he wanted was a simple life outside the Akatsuki. But as soon as he left it seemed to get worse for him. As his struggles went on, it felt like happiness was not in the cards for Itachi. But, he told himself, anything worth fighting for never came easy. And as he looked at Hinata, standing there ready to give her life to defend his, he was sure that Hinata was worth fighting for.


	19. Chapter 19

The forest was silent as he made his way through the sparsely spaced trees and lowly hung branches. He walked gingerly, in no hurry to get to his destination. All was calm around him, even his thoughts were calm and it was quite welcomed. He was getting too old; his thirties were right around the corner. No big deal, though. There were still so many years ahead of him that his age was merely a number.

He could often be found inside this forest, wandering about, enjoying the peak of the sunrise in the morning. It was a dewy morning with laden clouds overhead. It was most likely due to rain again, something he had grown to enjoy. The rain seemed to say all the things that he could not. It was calming to watch the rain drops drip from the window as he sipped a cup of tea. It was a new tradition for him, one he hoped to keep for a long time because he enjoyed it so much.

Despite his often wanderings, there was a certain place he always made his way to when he journeyed through the forest. Even though his past was the past and things could not be changed, visiting this place helped to alleviate some of the sorrow he held in his heart. Having gone through so much with the pain of losing his family and striving to fix everything that happened, he still felt like nothing had changed. For so long he lived in agony and for so long he vowed to end this agony by making things right. But, it seemed like nothing had actually gotten fixed.

"After all that happened…I still lost you…"

A scarred hand reached out and touched the slab of granite marking an added grave to the Uchiha cemetery. It was freshly placed by the Hokage herself once everything had come to an end. It was an honor done by the Hokage out of respect and remorse for another fallen Uchiha. He had been with the leaf village for so long it was hard to look the other way when a past comrade fell, whether they betrayed the village or not.

Thunder roared high above; the rain was due soon. With the cascading drops of the rain a laden heart fell as well. Itachi could not count how many times his heart clenched due to the aftermath of his actions. He could not say sorry enough. He could not regret enough. There was nothing he could do now. He wanted it to be over and now that it was, Itachi wondered if it could have ended a different way. Looking back on the fight in the Uchiha hideout, Itachi doubted it could have gone any other way.

~W~

Itachi's heart was racing as he guarded Hinata from the men he used to consider family. How come when Itachi decided to stop fighting it seemed like everyone wanted to attack him? It was like they knew and wanted to torture him. Glaring down his old friends and his younger brother, Itachi saw no other way out of this. He could either run or die and Itachi never ran. And he sure as hell wasn't about to die.

"Hinata, there's no way we're getting out of this without a fight. Remember when I said I would love to fight side by side with you?" He said, turning his head slightly in her direction while maintaining eye contact with the Akatsuki.

"Yes." She replied curtly.

"I lied," he admitted, "I do not want to fight, especially with you in the middle of it. But there's no other way out of this and I will die before I let them take you," she squeezed his hand that was holding her back, "so that's what I'm going to do."

"I'll cover your back. Who are you going to go after first?" Hinata asked, looking at each of the men before them. They were all strong and powerful, two of which freshly prepared for battle. She could probably handle Sasuke, even though she knew as a kid he was constantly training to get stronger. How much stronger he had actually gotten now was lost on her.

Itachi nodded at Deidara and Sasori, "I can handle those two easily. Working with them for so long I know their weaknesses."

"Got it. I'll take care of Sasuke." Hinata said, stepping up to Itachi's side. Fear hugged his stomach like a snake around its prey at the thought of her fighting his brother. He felt like it was his responsibility to take care of Sasuke.

"Hinata," Itachi said, looking at her with grave intensity. She turned to him, her face lightly bruised from when Sasuke hit her. A smile formed on her lips erasing any sign of fear or worry. "Be careful. Please." His voice ended on a plea.

"You, too." She smiled, easing some of his tension but not entirely.

Itachi trusted her. He knew she was strong but was not sure how far Sasuke was willing to go, especially with someone from the same class as him.

Without any sort of warning, Itachi activated his sharingan and sent his two former comrades into the realms of his Tsukiyomi. They were locked in instantly, immobile and mentally helpless. That took care of two out of three, at least for as long as Itachi could hold them. Seeing an opening, Sasuke charged at Itachi. Hinata jumped in front of Sasuke, Byakugan ready, and countered his moves. The fight was between Sasuke and Hinata now.

Creating distance between himself and Hinata, Sasuke snarled like the kyuubi in its cage. An eerie calm came over him rather quickly and he smirked.

"It's rather cute how you think you can protect my brother. If you get in the way I'll kill you, too. Don't think just because we were in the same class that I'll have mercy on you."

Hinata grimaced, forming her stance to guard against any oncoming attacks. "Your fight is with me now."

"This won't be classified as a fight. I fought your cousin Neji once and he was weak. The Hyuga clan is nothing but second rate compared to the Uchiha. They should have been wiped out instead of the Uchiha. Maybe then the world would be in better standing."

Hinata tenses at Sasuke's sickening words but remains on guard. If he was trying to throw her off then he was failing. She was ready.

"Don't worry," Sasuke says, unsheathing his katana,"I'll make your death quick and painless."

Hinata watched as Sasuke came at her at full speed and held up her forearms in an X to block his punches. Sasuke dropped low to the ground and swept his left leg under Hinata's feet, catching her but disappearing as she was going down. Hinata was slower than Sasuke but she was picking up his movements quickly. She caught herself and scanned the area looking for Sasuke. She glanced at Itachi to make sure he was safe, saw that he was and continued her search for Sasuke. Barely a second later she heard the shrieking chidori sounds and immediately backflipped as Sasuke came at her right side, his chidori targeted for her torso. Hinata created three clones and charged at Sasuke from three different angles. He ducked and dodged and countered each and every blow the clones gave out.

Sasuke upper-cutted Hinata but was then bombarded by a clone followed by the next as soon as he countered it. Jumping backwards, Sasuke created a fireball and sent it in the direction of two Hinata's. One fireball followed by another made its way toward the clones and the real Hinata, who jumped and skipped backward until the clones were vanquished. Breathing heavily, Hinata ran up the wall and onto the ceiling, spraying kunai in Sasuke's direction to distract him. He deflected them easily and came at her with his Katana, aiming to finish the battle.

The two came at a standstill, glaring each other down while holding each other off. They knocked each other backward but Hinata quickly regained her footing, using her Gentle Step Twin Lion Fists in order to drain Sasuke's chakra. As she tried to make contact with him, she noticed that Itachi was taking a really long time with the Akatsuki. What was he doing? Hinata didn't realize she had landed a fist on Sasuke's right shoulder until she started falling forward. Regaining her stance Hinata went in for another blow but Sasuke punched her arm away and upper-cutted Hinata, sending her crashing into the ceiling.

Stone and brick fell to the ground, uplifting dust and dirt with the impact of the fall. Hinata, who clung to the roof for several moments before cascading down to the ground, was momentarily dizzy. The world spun out of control as she fell, everything around her rising and spinning all at once, forcing her eyes closed. As she felt the ground coming closer, Hinata tried to regain her senses to catch herself. But she didn't have to. Itachi was there in an instant, coming in out of thin air and holding her close to his body. Hinata opened her eyes just barely and saw Itachi's worried expression gazing down at her.

"Akatsuki…?" She whispered, unable to form a complete sentence just yet.

"Taken care of." Itachi reassured, the corners of his mouth turning upwards.

"Well aren't you just a knight in shining armor." Sasuke mocked.

Itachi placed Hinata against a wall so she was leaning upright. He cupped her cheek in his hand and she looked at him through half-lidded eyes. A weak smile came on her lips, "I'm sorry. Just give me a moment." Itachi shook his head, glad she was conscious.

"Don't worry, darling. You did well. Let me handle this now." He placed a delicate kiss on top of her forehead and left her to face his brother. He sighed heavily, cracking his knuckles.

"Alright, Sasuke. You wanted a fight. Give me everything you've got."

"It's about time."

With that, the two brothers clashed. Kunai against sword, fist against fist, and the brothers went at it for what felt like hours. It was nonstop action between the constant punches, kicks jabs and stabs. Both had their sharingan activated so it was easy to detect the others next move. It was a battle of wits and physical strength and so far, neither was in the lead. Hinata watched with unwavering eyes, holding her breath as if letting it out would affect the battle. Silently she prayed for Itachi to win. She held no attachment to Sasuke and therefore did not care if he died. To her, he was worse than Itachi. If a man repented for his sins and vowed to make a change for the better then he deserved credit and a blessing at the very least. Sasuke, on the other hand, wanted nothing but death and destruction.

Itachi was using half his effort in this fight. He wanted to see how strong Sasuke really was. So far all they used was taijutsu, so Itachi had not seen any of his jutsu's he acquired over the years.

After a long while, the brother's took a break and assessed each other. They were both breathing heavily, sweat clinging to their skin. The blood thirsty look in Sasuke's eyes was still there if not a bit deflated. Itachi remained passive but determined.

"Why won't you die?!" Sasuke shouted in frustration.

Weaving the hand signs in rapid speed, Sasuke used his fireball jutsu. Gritting his teeth, Itachi jumped out of the way and ran up the wall to the ceiling, where Sasuke guided his flames directly at him. Breaking through the ceiling, Itachi countered his fireball jutsu with his own, the two fireballs colliding. Itachi decided that it was time. Within seconds his mangekyu sharingan was activated and black flames were borne. Itachi rarely used his amaterasu, only using it when he needed to. Sasuke was a worthy opponent.

Finding Sasuke through the flames, the amaterasu hunted him down and chased him as he ran. His speed was quick but the flames gained on him. Pain in his eyes started to surface the longer he used this jutsu. Itachi flinched and strained to keep his eyes open. The flames were almost on him. Sasuke ran at full speed, evading the black flames as they snaked toward him menacingly. He was out of breath but if he stopped he was dead.

Itachi could barely keep his eyes open and his chakra was almost gone. Using this any longer would completely drain him of his energy. The flames slowed down and lessened until they completely disappeared. Sasuke slowed down to a stop and looked at Itachi, catching his breath.

Itachi had to shut his eyes, grasping his head with his hand at the price the jutsu cost. He couldn't use that jutsu again, if he used it anymore his eye sight would disintegrate even more.

"Are you alright?" Hinata asked in a concerned tone of voice, coming up to the roof. Itachi could only nod and nudge her to his side so she didn't take a direct impact from Sasuke if he chose to attack.

"Sasuke's chakra is almost depleted, as well as mine. This shouldn't last much longer." Itachi explained, blinking several times to get his eyes adjusted. The toll the mangekyo took on a sharingan user was heavy, if Itachi could avoid the use of his eyes he would. But he was blessed with a powerful gift and to use it would only show ignorance.

"I can help." Hinata stated eagerly but Itachi shook his head.

"I got this. Go back downstairs and wait for me."

With a frown creasing her forehead Hinata followed his orders and retreated to the inside of the building. Itachi was determined to finish this fight here and now.

"Sasuke." Itachi called. His brother appeared on the roof, scratched and cut and out of breath. No matter how hard Sasuke wanted to kill Itachi he could not deny his low chakra levels.

"Your chakra is nearly gone. Let's end this."

"That's what I'm going to do."

Sasuke once more brought out his sword, channeling chakra through it to create a stream of chidori running through it. He ran toward Itachi, who thought it was foolish to come at him head on. But Itachi didn't notice the band of snakes circling his feet and before he could move the snakes had bound themselves around his body, rendering him immobile. Itachi cursed and struggled but they held him with a fierce grip. He watched, breathless, as Sasuke drew closer and closer upon him, sword raised, ready to puncture.

"Fuck."

Itachi had no choice. He activated his mangekyo one last time and the flames of amaterasu came to life. Ten feet from him the flames sprung up and consumed Sasuke, who howled in agony as the massive black flames ate at him. Blood dripped from Itachi's right eye as he strained to hold them open long enough to stop Sasuke. He gritted his teeth against the pain but held on until Sasuke fell to the ground and lay motionless. Shutting his eyes in relief, Itachi felt the grip of the snakes lessen until they disappeared altogether. He fell to his knees with a hard _thump_ and struggled to regain his breath. Squinting, Itachi glanced up toward the body that now lay singed and scathed, no longer full with the thirst for blood. Sasuke's sword no longer held the chidori within it and it lay on the ground inches from his hand. Sasuke laid there; face down on the burnt pavement, lifeless.

~W~

Itachi cried for the hundredth time that week. It seemed as though no matter how many tears he shed over his now dead brother, there was still more left in the tank. Itachi could not help it; he lost every member of his family and he had killed every one of them. He was forced to be a killer he did not want to be, all a plan to gain peace. But there was no peace, there never would be; not with the raging bitterness and hollowness that never left Itachi. Life was different now, both brighter and darker.

He heard a rustling of the grass as footsteps grew louder as she drew nearer. Silently, she sat by his side, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. This was habit, now. Itachi would come here and empty his sorrow into the ground and she would sit with him. Hinata did not mind this, she understood everything. All she wanted was for Itachi to come to terms with his life and hoped things would get better as time went on. She took his hand, grasped it.

"You had no choice, Ita," she whispered through the wind.

"I wish things had turned out differently. But I can't change any of it. I'm sorry for putting you through…all of this." Itachi said, his voice breaking at the end. Hinata hugged him to her as tight as possible as if trying to squeeze the pain out of him. He cried and cried into her shoulder, not feeling the least bit ashamed for doing so. Itachi had dealt with so much bullshit and torture, both mentally and physically, that he just didn't care anymore. It felt good to relieve himself, especially with Hinata here. She was his rock; he felt that without her he would lose his mind.

"All you can do is move forward and accept your past." Hinata whispered into his hair. Itachi wore it down lately but wasn't really sure why.

"I'm so lucky to have you with me, " Itachi admitted, cupping her cheek and gazing into her eyes, "I love you, my angel."

"I love you, too, Ita."

The couple came together in a passionate kiss, wrapping each other in a blanket of adoration. Even though only three months had passed since Sasuke's death, Itachi felt like it was just yesterday when everything came to an end. But he was sure of one thing, though: even though one relationship was burned to pieces, another one had grown because of it. If Itachi hadn't left the Akatsuki that day and Hinata hadn't found him nearly dead in the forest, Itachi was positive they would have never met. It seemed like fate took a chance with the two of them and something great came out of it. Itachi was grateful for having Hinata in his life and hoped that with her love and kindness, that he could restore his clan and make it stronger than it was before. Because he believed with all his heart that the strongest things bloomed out of love.

A/N; HOLY. FUCKING. CRAP.

Guys I'm sorry but this took forever to write. It's literally 9 pages long. I really tried to make it worth your while seeing as it's the end of the story. I'm not gonna lie, I'm pretty proud that I actually strived to finish it and actually finished it. I tried some different writing approaches with the fight, trying not to focus too much on solely romance. The ending was a bit hard because I always like to have the couple married with a kid so I tried to do something different. They do get married and have two kids, though. I'll tell ya that much! I really hope you guys liked it, let me know your thoughts and what, if anything, you would like to see for a new story. I said I have a few going on but your ideas are important too. Thank you all for the continuous support and extremely thoughtful comments, they really kept me going. I love you guys even though I don't know you personally, you're still amazing =)


	20. Epilogue

Two years had passed since their fateful encounter. Two long but very happy years since he met the angel who changed everything. It was a surprise, really. One minute Itachi was cursing the Akatsuki, waiting for death's cold hands and the next a beautiful, selfless woman had her in his arms- bringing him back to life. How could he repay her for saving his life? Given that she had saved him several times during those first few months of their beginning, Itachi supposed he owed her for more than one. It was only right.

"Itachi, where are you taking me?" Hinata inquired, unable to hide her grin. She loved surprises from Itachi; he always went to the extreme for her. One time, completely out of the blue, Itachi had made specially made kunai suited for her style. Hinata had remarked that he didn't have to go through all that trouble simply because she said one day that she wished her kunai were a little less heavy and more sharp. Itachi simply smirked and said, "Angels always get the best things." He had even engraved her clan symbol on the hilt of each one. Hinata was speechless.

"You'll see."

Itachi carefully guided her through the forest, his special and most treasured place. It was secluded and peaceful, a perfect setting to set his mind at ease. It was this reason that Itachi brought Hinata here. He had this planned for quite some time. The idea arose when Hinata had commented on wanting to do something more with her life, and when Itachi inquired as to what, Hinata had shrugged and suggested becoming a mother or traveling. Either would make her equally happy.

"Okay, stop." Itachi said into her ear, barely able to retain his excitement. He was eager for her reaction.

Standing behind her and holding her shoulders, he gave her a small squeeze and said, "Open your eyes."

As soon as she did Hinata was bombarded with different colored lamps hanging decoratively amongst the tall trees. She gasped in wonder as her eyes followed the trails of all the lights, zig-zagging up and across and below the branches, reaching to the peaks of each and every tree. Hinata covered her mouth, too shocked to speak. It was such a beautiful sight. The moonlight dipped from overhead somewhere behind the trees, illuminating the grass and the water in the pond. Everything was surreal and unlike anything Hinata had ever seen.

"Oh, Itachi." Was all she could say as she stepped to each tree in amazement, enjoying the soft glow from the lamps. Itachi's heart soared at the sight of her enormous grin.

"Do you like it?" He whispered rather sexily, wrapping his arms around her waist. She nodded eagerly against him and he smiled, looking at all of the exotic colors.

"It's beautiful, Itachi. Thank you."

"There's more." Itachi exclaimed excitedly.

"What? Itachi what is all of this for?" Hinata was confused in the most wonderful way. Itachi couldn't stop himself from thinking she was the most adorable when she was confused. He would have to do this more often.

"Hinata," he began, turning her toward him by her elbow and gazing into her eyes.

"Since the day we met in this very forest I could not keep my mind off of you," at his words Hinata blushed and looked away but Itachi guided her face back to look at him, " I mean it. You were the most beautiful soul I had ever set eyes upon. You still are. To this day, waking up to the floral scent of your hair and the softness of your hands I do not understand how I have lived my life without you beside me for so long."

Keeping his eyes locked with hers Itachi began to kneel on one knee, his limp pony-tail falling gracefully over his left shoulder. Hinata gasped and threw her hands up to her face, realizing what was happening. As Itachi continued to speak, Hinata looked up and saw that all of her friends and family from the Leaf village began coming from the trees. Her face turned beat red and her heart was like thunder in the sky but she could not, for the life of her take her eyes off of Itachi.

"Hyuga Hinata, will you marry me?"

Those four words stole every drop of air Hinata had access to. She looked at Itachi, smiling up at her like she was the light of his life, and to everyone watching as they awaited her answer. Itachi held a box that contained the most gorgeous wedding ring Hinata had ever set her eyes upon. With the variety of lights reflecting off the diamond it looked like a rainbow after a rainstorm. It was magnificent. This was all so surreal and astonishing Hinata almost forgot she had to give her answer. With tears brimming her eyes Hinata said yes and everyone cheered and applauded. Itachi scooped Hinata up in her arms and spun her around, laughing together. They hugged each other and kissed passionately.

Everyone shouted their congratulations and gave their blessings for the next hour until everyone started going home. They had all remained in the forest, illuminated by the essence of the lights, enjoying the warmth from being around friends and family. Eventually, only Hinata and Itachi remained and all was silent.

The newly engaged couple danced a slow but traditional step; Itachi with his arms secured around her waist, Hinata resting her head on his chest as they moved in a slow circle. They stayed like that, bodies shadow-casted from the moon, hearts beating silently as one. Hinata lifted her head and smiled up at Itachi who returned her smile right back.

"Would you like to go home now, soon-to-be-wife?" Itachi murmured, pressing his lips against her forehead.

Hinata hummed and closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling of his lips against her. "Not yet."

As they danced in their secluded place in the forest, Itachi hummed a loving tune he remembered from his childhood. Hinata rested her head against her fiancé's chest and, even though they both didn't say it, they both knew that that one chance encounter was not chance at all, but merely fate.

A/N: Alright, I lied. THIS is the last chapter. I was not satisfied with chapter 19 and thought this was needed. Sue me but I love this couple. I needed romance in this! Ugh I love it. I LOVE IT! I hope you guys like it if not love it =) Also, if you're ever curious about what I'm up to with my stories check out my profile because I occasionally post updates at the top with the date so people know what to expect (Or not to expect).

Thank you for reading!

Xoxo- Clover


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